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CIVICS AT WORK 


A TEXTBOOK IN SOCIAL AND VOCATIONAL 
CITIZENSHIP 


BY 

THAMES ROSS WILLIAMSON 

N 


“None of us liveth to himself.” 

Paul the Apostle 


D. C. HEATH AND COMPANY 

BOSTON NEW YORK CHICAGO LONDON 
ATLANTA SAN FRANCISCO DALLAS 


I. 0 


H*3 

V\/5 


THE WILLIAMSON TEXTS IN 
SOCIAL SCIENCE 


Civics at Work 
Introduction to Economics 
Introduction to Sociology 
Problems in American Democracy 


Readings in Economics 
Readings in American Democracy 


Copyright, 1928, 

By D. C. Heath and Company 

2C8 


©Cl A1074451 


MAY. 11 1928 


A 





CONTENTS 


PAGE 

Preface . v 

Suggestions for Teachers . ix 

Part I — What It Means to Be Young 

CHAPTER 

I. You Are Fortunate. i 

A. The Community Protects You 

II. You Are Protected against Foul Play. 12 

III. You Are Protected against Accident. 23 

IV. You Are Protected against Disease. 34 

V. You Are Protected against Vice. 44 

B. The Community Trains You 

VI. You Are Trained to Behave Yourself. 53 

VII. You Are Trained by Means of Play. 64 

VIII. You Are Trained by Means of School. 75 

IX. You Are Trained by Means of Beauty. 85 

C. Childhood Comes to an End 

X. The World Is Waiting for You. 97 

Part II — The World of Work 
A. The Meaning of Work 

XI. Why We Work. 

XII. Our Labor Is Divided Up. 118 

XIII. We Depend upon One Another... 129 

XIV. How We Exchange Things. *39 

XV. Your Job Will Color Your Life. 15° 

iii 





















IV 


CONTENTS 


B. What Is the Right Job for You? 

CHAPTER page 

XVI. Occupations to Choose From. 159 

XVII. How to Choose Wisely and Well. 173 

XVIII. The Question of Special Training. 182 

XIX. Qualities You Will Always Need. 193 

XX. What about Promotion in Your Work?. 202 

Part III — Taking Your Place in the Community 
A. The World Is Calling You 

XXI. The Two Sides of a Coin. 212 

XXII. Why We Must Obey the Law. 220 

XXIII. Supporting the Government. 229 

XXIV. The Struggle to Prevent War. 240 

XXV. The Power of the Individual. 251 

B. What You Need to Know about Government 

XXVI. The Political Party. 260 

XXVII. Our Local Government. 270 

XXVIII. Our State Government.. 281 

XXIX. Our National Government. 291 

XXX. Choosing Our Public Officials. 301 

Appendix — The Constitution of the United States. 313 

Index. •. . 331 



















PREFACE 


Examine our educational program as closely as you please, 
you will find no subject more lively than civics. It was called 
a fad when first it appeared at the door of the American school- 
house, yet somehow it lingered, and fought its way to a place 
in an already crowded curriculum. This accomplished, civics 
might have rested on its honors, but the yeast of life was in it, 
and so it has gone on, developing and changing within itself, 
accepting new content, and making room for such growing 
concerns as community life and social welfare. 

Of late years still another subject has pushed forward to 
challenge the teacher of civics. This newcomer is vocational 
study. 

What shall our schools do concerning this new subject? This 
question is now confronting us, and that it is likewise troubling 
us is indicated by the contradictory answers which it has called 
forth. A few conservative educators wish to ignore vocational 
study as unimportant, and accordingly they pretend to pass it 
by, unrecognized. Others seek to make it a fetish, giving it 
such prominence as to necessitate a neglect of the field of gen¬ 
eral civics. 

Passing time is disproving both of these views. On the one 
hand, vocational study is too vital to be ignored; on the other, 
it cannot safely be divorced from general civics. A wage earner 
is never a wage earner and nothing more, — he is a citizen; 
and unless his vocational education is pursued in daily intimacy 
with his civic relationships he is likely to emerge barren of use¬ 
fulness to the community. We conclude, therefore, that voca¬ 
tional and civic education must be judiciously combined, so 


VI 


PREFACE 


harmonized as to produce a citizen who is an effective worker, 
and a worker who is an effective citizen. 

Such a harmony of vocational and civic materials is presented 
in this text, the chief features of which are briefly as follows: 

First, this text strives to develop character in the student. 
Information, energy, skill, wealth, — none of these can benefit 
the community unless its boys and girls are governed by moral 
purpose. 

Second, this text endeavors to acquaint the student with the 
social facts and purposes of his existence. The student is shown 
the nature of community life, and the part he plays in this life. 

Third, this text introduces the student to the phenomenon of 
work. He is made familiar with its aims, its conditions, and its 
opportunities for him when the time comes to begin his career 
as a wage earner. 

Fourth, this text goes beyond a general discussion of work: 
it attempts to aid the student in finding the right job for him. He 
is brought face to face with the problem of earning a living, 
and is shown how to analyze and solve this problem. 

Fifth, this text weaves the four above-mentioned themes toward 
the unified end of a more effective citizenship. Character, knowl¬ 
edge, and occupational skill are interpreted, not only in the light 
of personal progress but in the light of community needs as 
well. 

As for the author’s approach to his material, the plan of this 
text is frankly based upon the psychological truism that the 
road to the child’s interest is through his own personal experi¬ 
ences. Accordingly the book begins, neither with watery plat¬ 
itudes on community life nor with vague generalizations as to 
the child’s duties, but with the concrete and familiar benefits 
which he receives from various persons and institutions within 
the community. Good citizenship is taught throughout the 
text, but during the earlier chapters this instruction is carried 
on entirely by specific example and allusion, without the use 


PREFACE 


vii 

of any abstractions whatsoever. The student’s sense of satis¬ 
faction is aroused at the beginning of the book, and after it is 
aroused it is intensified by a straightforward attempt to help 
him discover a job suitable to his abilities and ambitions. 
Only after all this has been done for him is the banner of ab¬ 
stract duty raised before him; and this, the author maintains, 
is the proper time for all those moral generalizations with which 
the conventional civics text is obscured from the start. Good 
pedagogy requires that such questions as civic responsibility 
and social service be treated, not at the beginning but at the 
end of the course. Good logic likewise requires this, for the 
simple reason that civic responsibility and social service are 
not the origin of community life, but rather its culmination 
and flower. 

It is the author’s pleasure to acknowledge the aid of those 
who have assisted him in the task of preparing this text. Mr. 
Clarence H. Knowlton has helped greatly, not only in determin¬ 
ing the content of the book, but in perfecting its detail and 
seeing it safely through the press. Dr. Franklin P. Hawkes, 
Principal of the West Junior High School, of Arlington, Massa¬ 
chusetts, kindly read the manuscript and offered many valuable 
suggestions, of which the author has gratefully taken advantage. 
The helpful criticism of Mr. William T. Miller, Master of the 
Washington Irving Junior High School, of Boston, Massachu¬ 
setts, likewise calls for hearty thanks. Finally, the author takes 
this opportunity to acknowledge the aid of his wife, without 
whose daily wisdom and encouragement this book would never 
have been written. 

-Thames Ross Williamson 

Cape Elizabeth, Maine, 

April 9, 1928. 




















































* 































SUGGESTIONS FOR TEACHERS 


The teacher is invited to examine the table of contents, in 
order to perceive the variety of possibilities which this text offers. 
Wherever possible, the entire book ought to be utilized, never¬ 
theless it is so arranged as to permit its use by parts. Parts 
1 and III constitute a unit of study; therefore, teachers who 
do not wish to stress vocational material may limit themselves 
to these two divisions. Parts I and II constitute a unit, and 
Parts II and III likewise; either of these combinations may be 
chosen by teachers who wish to emphasize the vocations. 

The teacher will find it advisable to plan lesson assignments 
only after a careful examination of the suggestions which con¬ 
clude each chapter, and which, under the heading, “Something 
for You to Do,” supply further work for the student. These sug¬ 
gestions are a vital part of the text, and they will be found to 
provide a highly varied and flexible method of bringing the 
student into close contact with the life of his community. The 
teacher’s use of these suggestions will depend, of course, upon 
the amount of time available, as well as upon similarly necessary 
conditions. 

The text may be still further supplemented by the use of 
special sources of information. 

The large school dictionary is one of these. The teacher 
ought to encourage the student to consult this volume freely, 
not only for the meaning of particular words, but also for general 
information on a wide variety of subjects. 

The encyclopedia is another valuable source of information. 

The daily newspaper may be used with effect, especially in 
connection with the assignment of projects. 


IX 


X SUGGESTIONS FOR TEACHERS 

Magazines are helpful in a civics course, particularly if 
they are of the type of “Current Events,’ The Literary 
Digest,” “The Independent,” and “The Outlook.” 

Free pamphlets are often distributed by such organizations 
as civil service leagues, child welfare bureaus, and civic improve¬ 
ment societies; literature of this sort may well be collected 
by the members of the class, for use in studying particular 
problems. 

State publications may generally be had free of charge, upon 
application to the various departments of the state government; 
the members of the class ought to be encouraged to gather 
such of these publications as are likely to prove of service in 
the work of the course. 

The same is true of the publications of the federal government . 
Lists of available publications, together with prices, may be 
obtained, either from the several departments of the national 
government or from the Superintendent of Documents, Gov¬ 
ernment Printing Office, Washington, D. C. In applying to 
the Superintendent of Documents it is advisable to indicate the 
department (and also, if possible, the particular bureau of 
the department) whose publications are desired. The money 
must be sent in advance whenever publications are ordered from 
the Superintendent of Documents. Stamps are not accepted. 

Perhaps the teacher will want to organize the class for the 
special purpose of building up a small library, this library to 
consist of various publications supplementary to the text. If 
this is feasible, the students may be shown that the class is 
itself a kind of community, in which the members must work 
together to realize their common purposes. The cost of the 
desired publications might be raised by a “tax levy” upon the 
members of this class-community, or a considerable amount 
might be realized as the result of class activity outside of 
school hours, as for example by giving a supper or some sort 
of entertainment. 


SUGGESTIONS FOR TEACHERS 


xi 


Books are also important sources of supplementary material, 
and accordingly a select list of these is given below. 

A Select List of Books 

Adams, Henry C. Description of Industry. H. Holt & Co. 
Allen, Frederick J. A Guide to the Study of Occupations. Har¬ 
vard University Press. 

Beard, Charles A. American Government and Politics. Mac¬ 
millan. 

Bishop, Avard L., and A. G. Keller. Industry and Trade. 
Ginn & Co. 

Bogart, Ernest L. The Economic History of the United States. 

Longmans, Green & Co. 

Brewer, John M. See Gowin, Enoch B. 

Bryce, James. Modern Democracies. 2 vols. Macmillan. 

-. The American Commonwealth. 2 vols. Macmillan. 

Bureau of Vocational Information. Training for the Profes¬ 
sions and Allied Occupations. Bureau of Vocational Infor¬ 
mation, New York. 

Carver, Thomas Nixon. Principles of National Economy. 
Ginn & Co. 

Center, Stella S. The Worker and His Work. J. B. Lippin- 
cott Co., Philadelphia. 

Cheyney, Edward P. An Introduction to the Industrial and 
Social History of England. Macmillan. 

Coman, Katharine. The Industrial History of the United States. 
Macmillan. 

Commons, John R. Races and Immigrants in America. Mac¬ 
millan. 

-, and J. B. Andrews. Principles of Labor Legislation. 

Harper & Bros. 

Crawford, Mary C. Social Life in Old New England. Little, 
Brown & Co. 

Daniels, John, America via the Neighborhood. Harper & Bros. 



Xll 


SUGGESTIONS FOR TEACHERS 


Day, Clive. History of Commerce of the United States. Long¬ 
mans, Green & Co. 

Devine, Edward T. Social Work. Macmillan. 

Dickson, Marguerite S. Vocational Guidance for Girls. Rand, 
McNally & Co. 

Drake, Durant. Problems of Conduct. H. Holt & Co. 

Dunn, Arthur W. Community Civics for City Schools. D. C. 
Heath & Co. 

Earle, Alice. Home Life in Colonial Days. Macmillan. 
Edgerton, Alanson H. Vocational Guidance and Counseling. 
Macmillan. 

Ely, Richard T. Outlines of Economics. Macmillan. 

Filene, Catherine. Careers for Women. Houghton, Mifflin Co. 
Gettell, Raymond G. Introduction to Political Science. Ginn 
& Co. * 

Giles, Frederick M., and I. K. Giles. Vocational Civics. Mac¬ 
millan. 

Gowin, Enoch B., and W. A. Wheatley. Occupations. (Revised 
by John M. Brewer.) Ginn & Co. 

Lewis, Burdette G. The Ofender and His Relations to Law and 
Society. Harper & Bros. 

Lyon, Leverett S. Making a Living. Macmillan. 

MacCunn, John. The Making of Character. Macmillan. 
McAdoo, William. Guarding a Great City. Harper & Bros. 
McMurry, Frank M. How to Study and Teaching How to Study. 
Houghton Mifflin Co. 

Marshall, Leon C., and L. S. Lyon. Our Economic Organization. 
Macmillan. 

Munro, William B. The Government of American Cities. 
Macmillan. 

Myers, George E. The Problem of Vocational Guidance. Mac¬ 
millan. 

Pechstein, Louis A., and A. L. McGregor. Psychology of the 
Junior High School Pupil. Houghton Mifflin Co. 


SUGGESTIONS FOR TEACHERS 


xiii 

Proctor, William M. Educational and Vocational Guidance. 
Houghton Mifflin Co. 

Ray, Perley O. An Introduction to Political Parties and Prac¬ 
tical Politics. Chas. Scribner’s Sons. 

Sandwick, Richard L. How to Study and What to Study. D. C. 
Heath & Co. 

Smith, J. Russell. Commerce and Industry. H. Holt & Co. 
Tufts, James H. Our Democracy , Its Origins and Its Tasks. 
H. Holt & Co. 

-. The Real Business of Living. H. Holt & Co. 

United States Bureau of Education. Lessons in Community 
and National Life. Series A, B, and C. Washington, D. C. 
Watkins, Gordon S. An Introduction to the Study of Labor 
Problems. Crowell. 

Weaver, Eli W. Building a Career. Association Press, New 
York. 

West, Willis M. The Story of American Democracy. Allyn & 
Bacon. 

Wells, H. G. The Outline of History. Macmillan. 

Williamson, Thames Ross. Introduction to Economics. D. C. 
Heath & Co. 

-. Introduction to Sociology. D. C. Heath & Co. 

-. Problems in American Democracy. D. C. Heath & Co. 







CIVICS AT WORK 

PART I—WHAT IT MEANS TO BE YOUNG 


CHAPTER I 

YOU ARE FORTUNATE 

1 . Perhaps you doubt this. — The title of this chapter 
declares that you are fortunate, but is this statement true ? 
Is the world good to you ? Do you have an easy time of it ? 
Suppose you give a little thought to these questions, and 
then answer them as best you can. 

Now it may be that when you have thought it over, you 
will object to being called fortunate. Probably you can 
recall a great many things which you wish to do, but which 
you are not permitted to do. Again, there must be all 
sorts of things which you are obliged to do, in spite of your 
dislike for them. In short, a little thought may convince 
you that the title of this chapter does not apply to you. 

Then have the courage to say so. Of course, a person may 
make a nuisance of himself by continually denying what is 
told him, but a reasonable amount of doubt is good for all of 
us. For instance, in this case your doubt may simply mean 
that you wish proof of the statement that you are fortunate. 

Let us see about this proof. 

2 . Who feeds you ? — Who is it that provides you with 
the food which you consume every day of your life? It is 
your parents, is it not? Now and then you have dinner 


2 


CIVICS AT WORK 


or supper at a friend’s house, and perhaps sometimes you 
yourself earn the money which pays for your meals. Nev¬ 
ertheless, the great majority of the boys and girls who attend 
your school depend directly upon their parents for food. 

Three times a day your mother and father see to it that 
you have good things to eat. Bread, potatoes, milk, eggs, 
meat, butter, jam, soup, apples, pie, — think of all the 
nourishing food you consume! Without it you would soon 

become weak and pale, 
and eventually you 
would perish. Your 
very life depends upon 
food. Therefore you 
are fortunate in hav¬ 
ing parents who daily 
supply you with 
wholesome meals. 

3 . Who clothes 
you ? — Look at the 
comfortable well- 

The children will soon be home from school, and so made clothes you are 
this mother is getting supper for them. # J 

wearing to-day, and 
then run over in your mind all that you have in your closet 
at home. Think of the hats and caps and shoes and stock¬ 
ings you have ! Think of the sweaters and belts and neck¬ 
ties and gloves and coats that belong to you! How did 
you come by all of these garments ? 

Perhaps you yourself earned the money which bought 
some of these clothes, yet it is more than likely that most of 
your wearing apparel is provided by other people. Aunts 
and grandfathers and numerous good friends may give you 
something to wear, especially as a Christmas or birthday 
























YOU ARE FORTUNATE 


3 


gift. And then there are your parents again, faithfully 
taking care that you have the clothes you need. When hot 
weather conies they provide you with light cool garments, 
and when winter comes with its icy breath your mother and 
father furnish you with stout shoes and gloves and a warm 
coat. You are fortunate. 

4. Who shelters you ? 1 — When you go to bed you prob¬ 
ably do not worry about a possible storm in the night. Why 
not? Because there 
is a strong roof and 
a tight ceiling over 
your head, while all 
about you are walls 
which fit snugly to¬ 
gether and help to 
protect you against 
bad weather. The 
house you live in is a 
shelter. 

This shelter is pro¬ 
vided by your par- Even a humble cottage is a welcome shelter against 
entS. YOU may Call bad weather. 

it your house, but it is your mother and father who have 
built it, or bought it, or rented it. You live there with the 
other members of your family, and call it home. What is 
a home ? It is a place to rest, a place to play and eat and 
study. It is a spot where you can feel safe from evil and 
threat and danger. Finally, it is a place where you can 
enjoy the companionship and affection of your family circle. 

5. Three drops in a bucket. — To sum up what has been 
said so far, your parents see to it that you have food, cloth¬ 
ing, and shelter. You could not possibly get along without 




4 


CIVICS AT WORK 


these things; indeed food, clothing, and shelter are so im¬ 
portant that they are often called the three necessities of life. 

Nevertheless, these necessities do not exhaust the kind¬ 
ness of your parents. The food, clothing, and shelter which 
they provide are only three drops in the bucket of their 
generosity. What are some other things which your mother 
and father do for you ? 

Suppose that you answer this question for yourself. It 
is a simple question to answer, because no one knows more 
than you do about this matter. Just think a little and you 
will certainly recall many things which your parents do for 
you, in addition to the food, clothing, and shelter which 
they provide. 

6 . You are also served by people beyond your family 
circle. — Your parents do a great deal for you; yet you 
must not imagine that your good fortune ends here. Your 
mother and father serve you, but there are many other 
persons who help you. This may be shown by the follow¬ 
ing example: 

Suppose you come home from school sick. Your mother 
puts you to bed and calls the doctor. He discovers that 
you have a fever, and at his suggestion your parents employ 
a nurse to help take care of you. Meantime your father 
has gone to the drug store with a prescription. The drug¬ 
gist helps you by supplying the medicine which the doctor 
has ordered. Finally you get well again, and as soon as 
you are able you go off to school. On your way there you 
feel so weak and dizzy that you are glad when a kindly 
policeman helps you across the street. You arrive at school. 
The teacher knows that you have been sick, and conse¬ 
quently she moves your seat away from the window, so 
that you will not catch cold. 


YOU ARE FORTUNATE 


5 


The doctor, the nurse, the druggist, the policeman, the 
teacher, — these are only a few of the people who may 
serve you in one way or another. 

7. Why is all this possible ? — Let us pause at this point 
and ask why you are able to enjoy all of these benefits. 

Of course your parents are good to you because they love 
you, but how does it cofne about that they are able to 



How does the above sketch illustrate the fact that you may be served by people 
beyond your family circle ? 


provide you with such things as food, clothing, and shelter ? 
How do they get possession of these good things of life? 

Or, to go beyond your family circle, how does it come 
that there is a doctor who can be called upon when you are 
sick? The nurse and the druggist, why is it that their 
services can be had ? Why are there such people as police¬ 
men ? How can you explain the existence of teachers ? 

We may answer all of these questions by saying that you 
enjoy the advantages you do because you live in a community . 







































6 


CIVICS AT WORK 


8. The nature of a community. — What is a community ? 
No doubt you have heard the word many times, and prob¬ 
ably you suspect that it has something to do with people. 
That is true; indeed, the important fact about a com¬ 
munity is that it consists of a group of people. And since 
we say a group of people it is clear that these people live 
together , or at least they live near one another. The chief 
reason why they live together is that they have common 
interests. In order to safeguard these interests, the people 
of a community make rules or laws, and these rules or 
laws they agree to obey. 

We may now define a community as a group of people 
inhabiting a more or less definite area, working together 
for their common ends, and living under a common gov¬ 
ernment. 

9. Many small communities form a state. — Make an 
outline sketch map of your state. On this map make large 
black dots for the cities, smaller dots for towns and villages, 
and little dots for crossroads settlements and hamlets. 
This sketch map of yours will help you to understand the 
nature of community life. 

Now the communities represented in your sketch have a 
great deal in common. They are neighbors. The area 
of the city communities adjoins the territory of near-by 
rural communities, and these rural settlements in turn con¬ 
nect with the surrounding localities. Many of these com¬ 
munities depend upon one another for food or manufac¬ 
tured goods. All of these places desire the good things of 
life, and so they may be thought of as banding together to 
form a larger community known as a state. 

10. The states in turn make up the supreme community 
known as the United States. — Just as Ohio consists of a 


YOU ARE FORTUNATE 


7 


number of smaller communities, so the neighboring state of 
Indiana is made up of numerous rural settlements, towns, 
and city communities. Likewise, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, 
Michigan, and each of the other states is a great com¬ 
munity, embracing within itself many small communities. 

There are forty-eight of these states. Taken together 
they make up what is called the United States of America. 
Of course you know this, but are you aware that the United 
States itself is a community ? The individual states are 
great communities which go to make up that supreme 
community, Our Country. Turn back to your definition 
of a community, and you will see that it applies, not only to 
your local community, and to the state in which you live, 
but to the United States as well. 

11. Do you belong to more than one community ? — 
Yes, you do. You belong to at least three communities. 
These are the local community where you live and go to 
school, the state in which your local community is located, 
and finally the United States of America. 

But if this is true, why do we generally speak of “ the ” 
community, as if there were only one community ? 

Let us see if we can answer this question. Notice, first 
of all, that the physical boundaries of a community are less 
important than are its ideals and character and daily life. 
Thus we speak of “ the ” community because we wish to 
emphasize the activities and traits which go to make up com¬ 
munity life in general. For instance, the heading of the 
next section is “ The community favors its young people.” 
This does not mean that any particular type of community 
favors its young people, but rather that community life in 
general treats its young people better than it does its older 
members. 


8 


CIVICS AT WORK 


12. The community favors its young people. Do you 

believe this statement? Look about you and you will find 
plenty of proof that it is true. 

All the world favors the child. Boys and girls often play 
while older people work. The traffic policeman takes 
special pains to see that young children get across the street 



Young vines need more in the way of protection and training than do mature vines, 
and the same is true of people. 


in safety. Parents deny themselves a great many comforts 
for the sake of being able to make their children happy. 
Free public education is provided for us when we are young. 
If one man abuses another we think little of it, but if he 
abuses a child we are indignant. Nothing so rouses public 
sympathy as little folks who are sick or hungry. 

No matter in what way you come in contact with the 
community, you will probably find that you are treated 











YQU ARE FORTUNATE 9 

with more consideration than an older person would be. 
We repeat, the community favors its young people. 

13. One reason for this. — Why is the community 
especially good to children ? 

One reason is that children need help in mastering their 
many problems. There is much to be learned in this world, 
and although it is you who must stock your mind with 
knowledge, the community believes in helping you. There¬ 
fore it offers you many valuable types of training, as we 
shall see later on. Remember, meantime, that your com¬ 
munity treats you with special favor because it realizes 
your need for information, wisdom, and skill in the compli¬ 
cated business of living. 

14. A second reason. — The second reason why the 
community favors its young people is that children are 
more easily injured than are adults. Just as young kittens 
and young trees are more delicate than they will be later 
on, so young human beings are more tender than grown 
people. 

This is why the community takes special pains to protect 
its children. It does what it can to safeguard you from 
evil companions and bad habits. Such dangers as con¬ 
tagious disease are fought by the community, in order 
that you may live a long and healthy life. The community 
also endeavors to cut down the number of accidents which 
threaten you. Again, the community protects you against 
foul play, as we shall see in the next chapter. 

Something for You to Do 

1. Look back over the preceding chapter. What is the central idea 
or theme which it has developed ? Answer this question briefly 
and in your own words. 


CIVICS AT WORK 


io 

2. Select, for study, three of the articles of food which appear on 

your breakfast table. Where was each of these articles origi¬ 
nally produced ? Where did your parents get them ? 

3. Ask your mother how she decides upon what to provide for your 

meals. For example, how much is she influenced by the price 
of various foods, how much does she take your likes and dis¬ 
likes into consideration, and how much does she consider the 
nutritive value of foods ? 

4. Some boys and girls object to wearing garments which have been 

patched or mended. Why is this ? 

5. Do your parents own the house you live in, or do they rent? 

What are the advantages of owning your own home? What 
are the advantages of renting? 

6. Which do you think is the more important to a community, a 

lawyer or a dentist? Explain. 

7. Some people maintain that a drug store ought to keep open all 

night, in order to serve persons who may need medicines or 
drugs. What do you think of this idea? 

8. Make a brief report to the class upon the origin of the community 

in which you live. 

9. Does your local community depend upon neighboring communi¬ 

ties for food or clothing? Explain. 

10. In what ways do neighboring communities depend upon your 

local community? 

11. Have you ever heard the term “community spirit”? What does 

it mean? 

12. Our definition of a community declares that the people of a com¬ 

munity inhabit a more or less definite area, and also have com¬ 
mon ends. Which do you consider the more important to the 
definition, the common ends or the fact that the people live in 
a rather definite area ? Give your reasons. 

13. In general, parents try to make things easy for their children. 

Is this always a good thing for the children ? Explain. 

14. Can you think of any exceptions to the rule that the community 

favors its young people ? 

15. Why do you suppose the community wishes to help you increase 

your knowledge of the world about you? 


YOU ARE FORTUNATE 


11 

16. It is true that young people are more easily injured than are 

adults, but what is the reason for this ? 

17. There is an old saying which declares that “as the twig is bent, 

so the tree inclines.” How does this apply to you? 

18. The last sentence in Section 14 of the text states that the com¬ 

munity protects you against foul play. Without turning to 
the next chapter for an answer, can you define foul play ? 


A. THE COMMUNITY PROTECTS YOU 


CHAPTER II 

YOU ARE PROTECTED AGAINST FOUL PLAY 

15. We object to foul play. — Have you ever seen or 
heard of a human being who was willing to be wronged? 
Probably not. 

At any rate, history offers no proof that people have ever 
been content with mistreatment. On the contrary, all of 
the records which we possess indicate that humanity has 
always craved justice. Ignorant savages, rude barbarians, 
highly civilized races, — they have all struggled to preserve 
fair play. 

When we look about us to-day, we find a similar attitude. 
Our friends and neighbors object to being mistreated. 
Every one of us yearns for a square deal and equal oppor¬ 
tunity with others. No one wants to be deceived, or 
robbed, or hurt, or killed. 

16. But can we always protect ourselves ? — Now it is 
one thing to object to foul play, and another thing to 
protect yourself against it. Of course there are many cases 
in which you can look out for yourself; on the other hand 
there are many dangers against which you alone are prac¬ 
tically helpless. 

Suppose, for example, that a foreign nation sent a fleet 
of airplanes to bomb your community. How would you 
protect yourself against the powerful enemy ? 


YOU ARE PROTECTED 


13 


Or suppose that your rich and influential neighbor 
secured possession of your house and declared that it right¬ 
fully belonged to him. What would you do? 

To take another example, what if a thief knocked you 
senseless and robbed you? Would you feel equal to the 
task of bringing him to justice? Probably not. 

17. This brings us to the idea of government. — The 
examples which we. have just noticed are intended to show 
that you need help 
in protecting your¬ 
self against foul play. 

This help you re¬ 
ceive through what 
is known as govern¬ 
ment. 

What do you think 
of when the word 
“ government ” is 
mentioned ? Do you 
have a mental picture 

of public buildings, A policeman taking the oath to discharge his duties 

laws, policemen, and faithfully. One of these duties is to help protect us 
• , . against foul play. 

numerous important 

officials? Is your notion of government confused? Do 
you think government is hard to understand? 

It ought not to be, for it is really a simple thing. To 
strip it down to its simplest terms, government is nothing 
but a scheme which people have invented. The purpose 
of this scheme is to enable people to get along together. 

18. Government has adjusted itself to the needs of 
our communities. — The important fact in this chapter is 
that government endeavors to protect you against many 



















14 


CIVICS AT WORK 


kinds of foul play. Before we go on with this central 
theme, however, you must know a little more about 
government. 

For instance, you need to know that government exists 
to serve the people. It is a tool or device which helps us to 
meet our common needs. By “ our common needs ” we 
mean the needs of our communities. These communities 
vary among themselves, some being small and simple, 
others being large and complex. This means that our com¬ 
munities have different needs. Government is a means of 
meeting these different needs, therefore our government 
varies in such a way as to fit the requirements of our 
different communities. 

19. We have three general sizes of government. — In 

the preceding chapter, you will remember, we saw that 
communities may be classified as either local, state, or 
national. Our government has adjusted itself to fit the size 
of these communities, and as a result we have three general 
sizes of government. 

Thus we have local government for those smaller com¬ 
munities known as townships, counties, villages, towns, or 
cities. The aim of local government is to serve the com¬ 
munity which has adopted it. 

Then for that larger community, the state, there is a type 
of government called state government. In many ways the 
government of your state is larger and more powerful 
than the government of your local community. Your 
state government exists to meet certain of the needs of all 
the people living within its boundaries. 

Finally, we have a national or federal government , with 
its capitol at Washington, D. C. The national government 
exists to serve the people of the nation as a whole. 


YOU ARE PROTECTED 


15 


20. The national government protects you against for¬ 
eign enemies. — To come back to the matter of foul play, 
let us notice that foreign nations sometimes threaten our 
country with war. We want protection against this danger. 
Which of our governments is best able to safeguard us 
against foreign enemies? Our national government, of 
course, because it is our most powerful form of government. 

We find, therefore, that the government at Washington 
spends more than a billion dollars a year for defense. It 
buys great quantities of arms and ammunition, it manu¬ 
factures explosives, 
and builds airplanes, 
and constructs bat¬ 
tleships, and main¬ 
tains an army and 
a navy. All this is 
for the purpose of 
protecting us against 
possible foul play on 
the part of foreign 
nations. 

21. We are also 
in danger of foul 
play at home. — It 

would be wonderful 
if we Americans could say that we never meet with foul play 
except when we deal with foreign nations, but we cannot 
truthfully say this. Foul play is a widespread evil. We 
sometimes find it abroad, but we also run across it within 
our own borders. Our nation is made up of more than a 
hundred million people, and although it is a shameful thing 
to have to admit, these people are of all sorts good, bad, 



This sketch illustrates three methods by which we are 
protected against foreign enemies. 







i6 


CIVICS AT WORK 


and indifferent. Some of these persons will take advantage 
of us if they get a chance, therefore we make use of govern¬ 
ment to protect ourselves against them. 

All three forms of government — local, state, and na¬ 
tional — take part in this important work. 

22. Our property rights are protected. — Every human 
being has an inborn desire to acquire things. These things 
we look upon as ours. We own them, and call them our 
property. When we are very young our property consists 
of toys or books, but by the time we are ten or twelve or 
fourteen years of age we often own a variety of valuable 
articles, and after we are grown we shall possess such forms 
of property as automobiles, houses, and land. 

Now if you have come by your property honestly, you 
will find that the government will protect you in its posses¬ 
sion. If you are robbed or defrauded in any way you are 
entitled to appeal to such officials as the police. These 
officials will bring the offender to justice and oblige him to 
make amends for the injury he has done you. 

23. Protection in our business dealings. — A great deal 
of our time is taken up by some sort of business, hence it is 
important that we be sure of fair play when we deal with 
our fellows. Here again government helps us. 

For instance, the government declares that people must 
live up to their business agreements. If your father is 
building a house, and wishes to finish it before winter, he 
may ask his lumber dealer to sign a contract to the effect 
that the roofing must be delivered before the end of October. 
If the lumber dealer fails to live up to this signed agreement, 
your father can take his case to court and get damages. 

Or, to take another example, the government makes sure 
that our financial system is sound. Both our state and 


YOU ARE PROTECTED 


17 


national governments have laws which require banks to be 
careful in handling funds. Our national government con¬ 
trols the manufacture of money, so that we can be sure that 
a coin or a banknote is worth just what it claims to be 
worth. Any one who imitates or counterfeits lawful money 
is subject to arrest and imprisonment. 

24. Fair weight and fair measure. — Our national gov¬ 
ernment also does a great deal to protect us against unfair 



How does this woman know that she is getting fair weight? 


weights and measures. Thus it has decided that we ought 
to have certain standards of weight and measure, and 
accordingly we make use of such units as pounds and 
ounces, feet and inches, bushels and pecks, and gal¬ 
lons and quarts. The government at Washington main¬ 
tains a Bureau of Standards, where the lawful standards 
of all sorts of measurements are kept. 

To aid in maintaining these standards, the government 
of your state employs an inspector of weights and measures. 
This inspector travels about the state, examining every kind 











i8 


CIVICS AT WORK 


of measuring and weighing device which is used in business. 
In every community that he visits he goes into stores, 
shops, and markets, and makes sure that the customers of 
these places are getting as much as they pay for. 

25. We are also protected against crime. — There is 
still another form of foul play. This is crime. What is a 
crime? It is an act which is punishable by law because it 
is considered injurious to the community. Theft, house¬ 
breaking, forgery, and assault are examples of crime. 

Be sure that you understand this definition. Crime is 
always foul play. It is always selfish, dishonest, violent, or 
otherwise harmful to the people of our community. For 
that reason the community frowns upon crime, and per¬ 
mits government to pass laws against it. Laws against 
crime have been enacted by our local government, our state 
government, and our national government. These laws 
define the various types of crime, and also provide for the 
discovery, arrest, and trial of offenders. All this causes 
most people to refrain from committing criminal acts; on 
the other hand, there are always a few people who yield to 
the temptation to commit crime. 

26. What happens when a crime has been committed? 
— In order to illustrate the manner in which government 
aids us against crime, let us suppose that your father’s 
automobile has been stolen. 

Your father notifies the police of the loss of his car, where¬ 
upon all the wonderful machinery of justice is set in motion. 
Descriptions of the stolen automobile are spread abroad. 
The local police search the vicinity, while in neighboring 
communities also the authorities keep a sharp outlook for 
the thief and the automobile. 

Suppose the criminal is caught, then what ? He is taken 


YOU ARE PROTECTED 


19 


before the proper official and questioned. Arrangements 
are made to bring him to trial. The day of the trial arrives. 
Your father is present to identify the car. Other witnesses 
are heard. If the prisoner is found guilty he is fined or 
imprisoned; if he is found not guilty he is released. As 
for your car, it is returned to you. Justice has been done. 

27. But every one is entitled to a fair trial. — Justice 
means fair play for every one. Therefore, when we say that 
justice has been done 
in court, we mean that 
both the accuser and 
the accused have re¬ 
ceived a square deal. 

No matter how lowly 
a man is, or how seri¬ 
ous his crime, he is 
entitled to a fair trial. 

The law guarantees 
him this. 

Thus a person ac¬ 
cused of crime has a 
right to a speedy trial. 

This trial must also be ... ^ w ..., 

A police court. Now what will happen? 

public. The prisoner 

is permitted to hear what is said against him. He has the 
privilege of producing witnesses who will testify in his favor. 
Again, he has a right to be represented by a lawyer, and 
if the case is serious he is entitled to be tried before a jury 
of twelve persons. Finally, no one can be tried twice for 
the same offense. 

28. We are also protected against our government.— 

By this time it must have occurred to you that our govern- 



















20 


CIVICS AT WORK 


ment is very powerful. Of course it must be powerful if it 
is to protect us against foul play, but what if the govern¬ 
ment itself treated us unfairly ! 

In former times this is precisely what government often 
did. In European countries, for example, people were once 
treated very harshly by their rulers. Private property 
was seized, enormous taxes were levied, and a great many 
persons were unlawfully imprisoned. The hero of Alex¬ 
ander Dumas’ famous romance, The Count of Monte Cristo, 
was one of these unfortunates. 

In our day, however, the government of every civilized 
nation is limited in its powers. This is true of the United 
States, not only in our national government, but with 
respect to state and local government as well. The object 
of this limitation is to keep our servant, the government, 
from becoming our master. 

29. The Constitution of the United States safeguards 

us. — If you will turn to the appendix at the back of this 
book, you will find a document which is known as the 
Constitution of the United States. It may impress you, at 
first, as a very dull affair, but as a matter of fact it fairly 
bristles with interesting things. This constitution is the 
very basis of our national government, because it is here 
that we find in definite language a description of what our 
various divisions of government may and may not do. 
Our Constitution was adopted at the beginning of our 
national life, and ever since that time it has acted as a giant 
friend to us, guarding us against oppression and protecting 
our rights. 

30. Some examples of this. — Let us mention a few of 
the ways in which the Constitution of the United States 
safeguards us. 


YOU ARE PROTECTED 


21 


For one thing, it assures us that we may worship God 
as we see fit, without interference on the part of the 
government. 

We are also entitled to free speech. Likewise we have 
the right to gather together in peaceable assemblies and 
talk over our problems and grievances. The Constitution 
guarantees the freedom of the press. 

It declares us to be secure in our persons, houses, papers, 
and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures. 

Another important safeguard is the constitutional assur¬ 
ance that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or 
property without due process of law. 

In addition to these guarantees, the Constitution of the 
United States has a great deal to say about your rights 
before the law, as you will find by examining this great 
document. 


Something for You to Do 

1. Look back over the preceding chapter. What is the central idea 

or theme which it has developed? Answer this question 
briefly and in your own words. 

2. Make up your own definition of justice, using short simple words. 

Be prepared to defend this definition in class. 

3. Name three types of foul play against which you can protect 

yourself, without calling upon others to help you. 

4. What was the name of the last war in which the United States 

took part ? How long did this war last ? 

5. Just what is the difference between an army and a navy? 

6. See what you can find out about life in the United States army. 

How would you like to enter the army as a profession? 

7. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a member 

of the United States navy? 

8. Just what is meant by private property? Distinguish between 

private property and public property. 


22 


CIVICS AT WORK 


9. Suppose that your neighbor’s dog comes into your yard and kills 
your chickens. You object to this, but your neighbor refuses 
to keep his dog at home. What remedy have you? 

10. It has been said that modern business would be impossible if the 

government did not enforce contracts. Do you agree with 
this statement ? Give your reasons. 

11. Find out how often the weights and measures in your community 

are inspected. Who does this ? 

12. Ordinarily we do not hesitate to accept paper money in exchange 

for gold or silver. Why, is this ? 

13. What is meant by habeas corpus ? 

14. Visit a police court, and observe closely the manner in which an 

examination or trial is conducted. Make a brief report to the 
class on what you have seen. 

15. What is trial by jury, and why is it important? 

16. What is the difference between a criminal trial and a civil suit? 

17. Debate the following question, “Resolved, that capital punish¬ 

ment ought to be abolished.” 

18. What is meant by saying that no person shall be deprived of life, 

liberty, or property without due process of law ? 

19. Section 30 of the text mentions several ways in which the Con¬ 

stitution safeguards our rights. Add three items to this list 
of guarantees. (Consult the appendix to this text.) 


CHAPTER III 


YOU ARE PROTECTED AGAINST ACCIDENT 

31. We are surrounded by machines. — You have read 
in history of the days when there were no machines, but 
how strange and far off that time seems! To-day we are 
rarely out of sight or hearing of machinery of some sort. 

Take, for example, the simple case of a stenographer who 
goes out for lunch. She gets up from her typewriter, which 
is a machine, and makes her way into the hall to the ele¬ 
vator. This elevator is a machine. The term machinery 
may also be applied to the apparatus which ventilates the 
building where she works, and also to the system which 
supplies it with heat. As soon as she passes from the office 
building into the street our stenographer is surrounded by 
machines: automobiles, street cars, automatic traffic 
signals, and so on. When she has eaten her lunch she 
returns to the machine by which she earns her living — 
the typewriter. 

Machines, machines, machines, they are everywhere! 

32. An efficient but dangerous comrade.— Machinery 
is very clever at helping us do our work, and that is why 
we have surrounded ourselves with all sorts of mechanical 
devices. The machine is our very efficient helper. 

But the machine is also a very dangerous comrade. Of 
course we like to speak of it as our obedient slave, yet what 
shall we say when the machine called a locomotive runs 
over a man and kills him ? What shall we say when the 


2 3 


24 


CIVICS AT WORK 


machine called a boiler explodes and scalds two or three or 
four people? It looks as if our slave, the machine, some¬ 
times turns into a master, and a ruthless one at that! 

33. A caution and an invitation. — Notice that word 
“ ruthless ” in the last sentence of the preceding paragraph. 
Do you know what it means, or did you simply skip over it ? 

You should never slip past unfamiliar words. Some day 
you will be earning your own living, and when that time 

comes you will dis¬ 
cover yourself to be 
handicapped if you 
have not got into 
the habit of mastering 
things as you go 
along. Besides, words 
are really tools which 
have the power to 
help you in your work, 
both in school and 
out of school. 

As we go on in this 
text we shall now and 
then come across diffi¬ 
cult words. These 
words have been used purposely, so that you can look them up 
and thus improve your knowledge of the English language. 

34. Accidents are altogether too common. — To come 
back to machinery, it is sometimes a ruthless master. We 
boast of our industrial success, but we pay for this success 
in terms of human life and happiness. We dash about in 
automobiles, but we hurt and kill a great many people in 
doing so. We fill our mills and factories with wonderful 





The circular saw is a great help, but it is also a 
great danger. 


































YOU ARE PROTECTED 


25 


machines, but the same machines that make cloth or shoes 
for us also cripple many of our workmen. 

This condition is really almost as bad as a war, for 
every year thousands of Americans are killed in accidents, 
while more than a million are seriously hurt. Broken 
legs, eyes gouged out, burned faces, crushed ribs, twisted 
spines, hands cut off, — these are part of the shocking price 
which we pay for the use of those efficient machines of ours. 

35. Every accident is like a stone cast into a pool. — 
Suppose you throw a stone into a pool of water. What 
happens? The stone strikes the 
surface of the water and disturbs, 
not only the spot where it plunges 
down, but the vicinity as well. 

Excited little waves 
widen out from the 
center, out and fur¬ 
ther out, until we are 
sometimes astonished 
that a little stone 
should have such far- 
reaching effects. 

That is the way it 
is with an accident. 

Suppose that a rail¬ 
way brakeman loses 
a leg in a wreck. It is a common accident, but imagine 
the results of this loss of a leg. The man’s wages stop. 
The doctor sends in his bill, but there is no money to pay 
him. After a while the family savings are exhausted. The 
children need food and clothing. The mother goes out to 
work, but she does not earn enough to support them all. 



The man with the bandaged leg has met with an ac¬ 
cident. How will this affect his wife and children ? 


crnmuFT 









26 


CIVICS AT WORK 


The older children are obliged to leave high school and go 
to work. The younger children drift into the streets, be¬ 
cause their mother is gone all day. 

Thus you can see how many evils may follow from a 
simple accident. 

36 . Enter the law. — If you have ever taken part in 
school dramatics, you will probably remember that when 
things are going very badly, the stage directions say, “ Enter 
the hero,” and in he comes to straighten out matters. 

That is the way it is with this problem of accidents. 
So many of our people have been hurt or killed that the 
law has come forward as a kind of protecting hero. When 
the law first began to do this, some employers objected that 
we had no right to make rules against accidents. In recent 
years, however, these objectors have had less and less to 
say. This is as it should be, because the purpose of govern¬ 
ment is to help us, and certainly we need help in reducing 
the number of accidents in American life. 

37 . Some examples of what is being done.—Our govern¬ 
ment, then, has passed laws which aim to prevent accidents. 

For instance, mills and shops which make use of whirling 
machinery are obliged to cover it, or screen it, or otherwise 
help their employees keep out of it. Blast furnaces, hoisting 
machinery, and revolving saws must be arranged so as to 
endanger the operator as little as possible. In many print¬ 
ing establishments the presses are now equipped with 
devices which make it impossible for the laborer to have 
his hand crushed. 

Look about you next time you ride in an elevator and 
you will probably see a notice that it has been inspected by 
a government official. This is for your safety. Likewise 
the boilers in factories and heating plants are subject to 


YOU ARE PROTECTED 


27 


inspection, so as to make sure that they are not dangerous. 
We also have laws which require safety in the manufacture 
of gunpowder, the making of chemical compounds, and the 
handling of dangerous drugs. 

38. The nature of workmen's compensation. — The 
term “ workmen’s compensation ” means “ payment for 
injury while at work.” For example, if you are employed 
in a store, mill, shop, or factory, you may be paid for any 
injury suffered in connection with your work. If your in¬ 
jury is slight you will be paid relatively little, but if you are 
unable to work for a long time you will receive a larger sum. 
Workmen’s compensation thus insures an employee against 
accident. Such insurance is a very good thing, because it 
reduces the suffering which so often follows in the wake of 
an injury. 

Most states have passed laws which provide for work¬ 
men’s compensation. If you will take the trouble to look 
into the matter, you will probably find such a law on the 
statute books of your state. Perhaps this law is called by 
some other name than “ workmen’s compensation,” but if 
it provides for a money payment to injured employees it is 
nevertheless what we have called a workmen’s compensation 
law. Do not be confused by a difference in names. 

39. How we are protected against fire. — Accidental 
fires are a source of great danger to us, therefore our govern¬ 
ment endeavors to prevent them. The fire escapes which 
you see on the outside of large buildings are there because 
the law requires them. Moreover, we have laws which 
oblige theaters and other public buildings to have plenty 
of well-marked exits. Building inspection and provision 
for the disposal of rubbish are also part of the community’s 
attempt to prevent fires. 


28 


CIVICS AT WORK 


In spite of these precautions, however, a fire does some¬ 
times break out. In this case we are reminded of one of 
the great blessings of living in a modern community. We 
signal the fire department for help, and in an instant it 
is preparing to aid us. A gong or a whistle sounds, street 
traffic draws out of the way, then with a rush and a roar the 
fire fighters appear. They are brave and they are skillful, 
so that it is not long before their streams of water and 
___ chemicals have made 

headway against the 
fire. 

40. Let us con¬ 
sider the automobile. 
— How quickly life 
changes! When your 
grandfather was a boy 
he probably drove 
about in a buggy, but 
nowadays most of us 
have little use for 
horse-drawn vehicles. 
The automobile is so 
comfortable. Besides, 



Every railway crossing should be plainly marked 
with warning signs. Why? 


much faster and so much m 
“ every one has a car these days.” 

That is just it. Every one has a car these days. No mat¬ 
ter where we go we see automobiles. Our streets and high¬ 
ways are packed with them. Every year the number of 
cars increases, and every year their manufacturers put forth 
a quieter, swifter, more powerful machine. 

All of this increases the danger of going about. Like 
machines in general the automobile is a help but also a 
danger. Every day it injures or kills hundreds of our 


YOU ARE PROTECTED 


29 


people. We risk life and limb when we venture out upon 
the highway or even attempt to cross the street. Who 
is there who has not had a narrow escape from injury or 
death, and all on account of an automobile! 

41. We are therefore obliged to regulate traffic. — The 
automobile is a most useful invention. In fact, now that 
we have it we do not see how we ever got along without it. 
On the other hand, common sense tells us that we must 
be protected against it, and so again we have had to 
say, “ Enter the law.” The result is that we now have 
numerous laws which aim to make the automobile a safe 
companion. 

Thus you will find that your community will not tolerate 
dangerous methods of operating an automobile. Reckless 
driving is prohibited. Driving while under the influence of 
liquor is a serious offense. In most communities automo¬ 
biles are required to be equipped with good brakes and 
properly adjusted headlights. 

In order to help both automobile drivers and people on 
foot we have established numerous traffic signals. Dan¬ 
gerous corners and curves are generally marked. Above 
all, we have provided traffic policemen at busy corners. 
These officers are many times an absolute necessity, for 
without them a busy street corner might be as dangerous 
as a battlefield. 

42. Let us go to war. — Now and then we meet young 
people who say they are bored. In many cases this is 
merely a pose, yet sometimes we do find boys and girls who 
really believe that life is dull. They sigh over the world, 
or wish they had lived in the days of knighthood, or long for 
a war to test their powers and their courage. 

But there are plenty of wars for you. What is a war, 


30 


CIVICS AT WORK 


after all? It is a fight, a struggle to defeat an enemy. 
And what is Accident but an enemy? He cripples people 
who are minding their work and trying to earn a living; 
he lies in ambush and slays little children and innocent 
women and strong men. Our enemy Accident is at large, 
leering at us, challenging us. Let us go to war with him, 
not only because of what he has already done, but in defense 
of our own future. 

43. Take care of yourself. — There are certain old 
novels and stories in which the children go away from home, 

and as they take 
leave of their mother 
she smiles bravely 
and says, “Take care 
of yourself.” 

No one reads these 
old-fashioned tales 
any more, but the 
advice to take care 
of yourself is even 
more precious now 
than it was in the 
days of long ago. 
Take care of yourself! Watch out when you are in the 
street, lest all of a sudden that strong young body of yours 
be struck down by a rushing automobile. Learn to swim. 
Give dangerous machinery a wide berth. Beware of fire¬ 
arms and large firecrackers. Never mind people who dare 
you to do this or that dangerous feat. 

He who goes easy will go far, says the old proverb. 

44. The “ other fellow.” — If you are careful you can 
avoid many accidents which might otherwise plunge you 







YOU ARE PROTECTED 


31 


into grief and suffering. At the same time you must not 
overlook the fact that the most careful person in the world 
may lose his life in an accident. Suppose, for example, that 
a traffic officer beckons you to cross the street. You start 
across. The automobiles have been ordered to halt, but 
suppose that an ignorant or careless driver lunges forward 
and strikes you. You were .careful; yet you are hurt. 

Therefore, the prevention of accidents depends as much 
upon the “ other fellow ” as upon you. You are not living 
alone in the world, but in a crowded community, in close 
contact with numerous other people. What you do affects 
these people, and what they do affects you. If you wish to 
feel safe from the danger of accident, you must try to get 
every one else to be as careful as you are. 

45. Safety First. — We may conclude, from the pre¬ 
ceding paragraph, that no one in the community is safe from 
the danger of accident until every one has got in the way of 
being careful. In other words, there must be cooperation 
among all of the members of the community. But how 
shall we secure this cooperation ? 

The Safety First movement is the answer to this question. 
Safety First is a motto or slogan, and it means simply that 
we are trying to persuade every one to take care as he goes 
about his business. When you play or work in a careful 
manner, you are aiding the Safety First movement. Like¬ 
wise, you are aiding it when you set your companions an 
example in being careful. 

Health, happiness, and long life make up the goal of the 
Safety First movement. Do what you can to help it along. 

46. First aid to the injured. — One way in which you can 
advance the Safety First movement is to learn the princi¬ 
ples of first aid to the injured. For your own sake learn 


3 2 


CIVICS AT WORK 


how to staunch the flow of blood, and how to revive a com¬ 
rade who is near death from drowning, and how to give 
relief to a brother or an acquaintance or a stranger who is 
suffering from a broken bone. 

The community offers you many chances to learn such 
things as these. There is the Red Cross, which sends lec¬ 
turers all over the land in the interest of first aid methods. 
Organizations such as the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts 
give instruction in first aid. The Young Men’s Christian 
Association and the Young Women’s Christian Association 
often teach first aid. Lastly, the teachers of your own 
school will be glad to help you learn what you ought to 
know concerning the principles of first aid to the injured. 


Something for You to Do 

1. Look back over the preceding chapter. What is the central idea 

or theme which it has developed ? Answer this question briefly 
and in your own words. 

2. Let each member of the class make a list of the machines seen 

or heard on the way to school. Compare these lists in class. 

3. How many of our present-day machines were unknown a hundred 

years ago? 

4. Get a copy of a newspaper and go over it carefully, in order to 

discover the number and nature of the accidents which it 
reports. 

5. Describe to the class a serious accident which you have witnessed. 

Could this accident have been prevented ? 

6. Section 36 of the text states that formerly some employers ob¬ 

jected to our making rules against accidents. Why do you 
suppose these people objected ? 

7. Has your state a law which provides for workmen’s compensa¬ 

tion ? If so, what are the chief provisions of this law ? 

8. Interview a friendly employer in your community, and ask for 

his frank opinion of workmen’s compensation laws. 


YOU ARE PROTECTED 


33 


9. Visit a factory, shop, or mill, for the purpose of observing the ways 
in which the employees are helped to avoid accident. 

10. Make a brief study of the fire-fighting system in your community. 

In what ways has its equipment been improved in the last 
twenty years ? 

11. What do the laws of your community say concerning fire escapes ? 

12. Locate each of the fire escapes in your school building. 

13. Summarize the traffic regulations now in force in your commu¬ 

nity. 

14. Debate the following question, “Resolved, that any person con¬ 

victed of driving an automobile while under the influence of 
liquor ought to be made to serve at least a month in jail.” 

15. What progress has been made in your community by the Safety 

First movement ? 

16. What do the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts in your community do 

toward preventing accidents ? 

17. Just what is the purpose of the Red Cross? 

18. How would you go about staunching a flow of blood? 

19. How would you revive a person who has been overcome by gas? 


CHAPTER IV 


YOU ARE PROTECTED AGAINST DISEASE 

47. He who has health has riches. — There is an ancient 
story of a rich king who was always ailing in body. One 
day he met a beggar who was fairly bursting with energy 
and good spirits. The king envied the beggar his health 
and the beggar longed for the king’s riches, whereupon they 
appealed to a magician to bring about an exchange. The 
magician did as he was asked. 

The man who had been a beggar was now rich, but alas ! 
he soon discovered that he was also tormented by disease. 
After a while he was so tired of his bargain that he offered 
to trade back with the king. The king refused. A weak 
sickly body had taught him what the beggar learned too 
late, — namely, that he who has health has riches. Not 
riches in terms of dollars, but a wealth of power, a treasure 
house of endurance, and an abundance of joy in living. 

48. The chief destroyer of health is disease. — The great 
majority of us are born rich in health, but sometimes we 
fail to keep this precious gift. This is because of certain 
evil enemies. Accident is one of these enemies. Disease 
is another. 

Disease attacks us in cunning secret ways. It has a host 
of messengers which we call germs, microbes, or bacteria. 
These messengers are so tiny as to be invisible to the naked 
eye, but with the aid of the microscope we have learned how 
they work. We know that the germs of disease live in foul 

34 


YOU ARE PROTECTED 


35 


air, clothing, food, and water. These places are an am¬ 
bush from which disease darts out upon us in the form of 
influenza, scarlet fever, diphtheria, tuberculosis, or some 
other malady. Once it gets a start, disease may send its 
messengers from one person to another, until hundreds and 
even thousands of people have been infected. 

49. We have declared war upon disease. — We cannot 
be sure of retaining our health if disease is about, therefore 
we are doing everything we can to stamp out this enemy. 



The man who is coughing is helping to spread disease. How? 


Our communities have developed an efficient method of 
fighting disease. There are laws and ordinances which 
help us to live and work in a sanitary manner. Likewise, 
there are numerous public health officers whose duty it is 
to guard and promote our health. 

Of course disease is a stubborn powerful foe, so that 
you must not expect that we have destroyed it altogether. 
On the other hand, we have gained many victories over it, 
with the result that disease is rapidly retreating. 

Let us notice a few of the ways in which we have made 
progress in this regard. 












36 CIVICS AT WORK 

50. We need pure food. — What we eat has a great deal 
to do with our health. If our food is wholesome, we thrive 
and grow strong, but if we eat spoiled meat or infected 
oysters or adulterated candy, we are likely to fall sick. 

Of course you may say that we ought to look out for such 
things, but this is not so easy as it sounds. How can you 

tell if a cabbage con¬ 
tains disease germs or 
not ? Or how are you 
going to make sure 
that the fruit you buy 
has been grown under 
sanitary conditions ? 
Food may look whole¬ 
some and yet be dis¬ 
eased. Besides, those 
who live in cities are 
obliged to select foods 
largely from what the 
markets offer. Most of 
the food of the city 
dweller comes, not 
from his own garden or 
field, but from “ some¬ 
where.” If it is infected he has no way of knowing it — 
until it is too late. 

How, then, are we to be sure that our food is pure ? 

51. What the community does to make sure that our 
food is pure. — Perhaps you have never stopped to think 
of it, but the community keeps watch over the people who 
supply us with food. 

Government inspectors examine meat which is to be 



A meat inspector at work. Whatever he stamps 
is fit for food. 









YOU ARE PROTECTED 


37 


offered for sale; and if it is unwholesome it is destroyed. 
From time to time the stores and markets in your com¬ 
munity are visited by inspectors who are on the outlook 
for impure foods. Sometimes the law requires fruits and 
fresh vegetables to be kept covered. If there is a cold 
storage plant in the vicinity, it must be kept clean. Who¬ 
ever offers canned or bottled goods for sale must make sure 
that they do not contain harmful ingredients, otherwise 
he may be arrested as a violator of the pure food laws. 

In these and many other ways, the community attempts 
to keep our food supply pure and wholesome. 

52. The danger of impure milk. — All experts agree 
that milk is one of our most important foods. Every one 
uses it in some form, while babies and invalids are often 
absolutely dependent upon it. Pure milk is a great bless¬ 
ing to a community, but infected milk is a great evil. 

What is meant by infected milk ? Simply that the germs 
of some such disease as tuberculosis or typhoid fever have 
secreted themselves in the milk. These germs may come 
from the cow that produces the milk, but they may also 
come from a filthy milk can or a sick dairyman. In any 
case, once the milk has become infected it endangers the 
health of every one that uses it. 

53. The struggle for pure milk. — Fortunately we now 
understand how milk may become infected, and how it may 
spread serious diseases over a wide area. This is why we 
permit our government to supervise the handling of all 
milk offered us for sale. 

This supervision is carried on chiefly by means of inspec¬ 
tors who go about testing milk and examining the manner 
in which it is bottled and shipped. Practically all of the 
milk used in cities comes from dairies and farms some dis- 


38 CIVICS AT WORK 

tance away, hence care must be taken to have the milk 
arrive fresh and clean. If the weather is warm, the milk 
may have to be iced. In many cities it is also pasteurized, 
which means that it is treated by heat in such a way as to 
destroy the harmful bacteria in it. 

54. Good water has become a problem. — A hundred 
years ago most of our communities were so small that few 
people had to worry about a supply of fresh clean water. 
There was often a lake handy, or perhaps a river or small 
stream, or at any rate a natural spring or a well. Every one 
took what water he wanted, and thought no more about it. 

But for many of us this is no longer possible. The old- 
time crossroads has given way to a village, the village to a 
town, and many of our towns to populous cities. The 
people in these cities are far from a natural water supply; 
indeed, there are thousands of us who rarely see a lake or a 
river. Even if we did live near a stream we should be 
afraid to use water from it. Why? Because we know 
that a great many people throw their garbage and sewage 
into convenient streams, and because we also know that this 
filth is the cause of impure water. To give a single instance, 
a water supply which has been polluted in this manner may 
result in an epidemic of typhoid fever. 

55. Most of us have the community to thank for pure 
water. — Just as the community has come to our aid in the 
fight for pure milk, so it sees that we have pure water. 
Your community has a water system, for the purpose of 
furnishing you and its other members with good water. 

The source of this water may be a river, or a number of 
ponds, or even a distant lake. At any rate the water is 
piped to a reservoir, from which a network of underground 
pipes conducts it to houses and stores and mills and public 


YOU ARE PROTECTED 


39 


buildings. This water has been filtered or otherwise freed 
from impurities, so that you may feel safe in using it. 

It may be romantic to drink from an open stream, but 
nowadays it is wiser to get your water from a faucet! 

56. Pure air is not always free. — Air is so plentiful that 
when we wish to emphasize the fact that something is cheap 
or easy to get we say 
it is as “ free as air.” 

But although air in 
general may be free, 
air which is pure is 
not always easy to 
have. In our cities, 
for example, the air is 
often polluted by 
smoke, gases, dust, 
and all sorts of name¬ 
less rubbish. Then, 
too, every large com¬ 
munity has a certain 
number of houses 
which are so poorly 
constructed that it is 
hard to ventilate them. In the poorer parts of our cities 
there are huge tenements which are so crowded that the 
families who live in them have very little fresh air and 
practically no sunshine. This is bad, because disease thrives 
in dark, damp, poorly ventilated places. 

57. So now we have what is called housing reform. — 
A good many of our cities simply grew. In other words, 
they developed in a haphazard way, expanding and making 
progress, but also making mistakes. One of these mis- 



Do you think the people living in these buildings 
get enough air and sunshine? What about the 
back rooms? 








40 


CIVICS AT WORK 


takes, we now realize, was to permit the construction of 
so many crowded unsanitary tenements. 

Accordingly, we are doing a great deal to correct this 
evil. Many of our cities and states now have laws which 
lay down certain minimum requirements for window space, 
plumbing, stairways, and disposal of garbage. Housing 
laws vary from one community to another, but in every 
case their aim is to make sure that the dwellings of our 
people shall be at least fairly healthful. 

58. Getting rid of our waste. — Wherever people live in 
communities there are large quantities of waste which they 
must dispose of somehow. Otherwise our streets and yards 
would soon be clogged with disease-breeding refuse. 

We dispose of our waste in various ways. Old bits of 
paper we often burn. Ashes we place in barrels or other 
containers, and at regular intervals the community sends a 
wagon to collect them. Tin cans are likewise gathered up 
and taken to some out-of-the-way place. 

Garbage may be disposed of in any one of several ways. 
It may be burned, or it may be made into fertilizer, or 
it may be sold to farmers who feed it to their hogs. 
Sometimes it is dumped or buried on the outskirts of the 
city. 

Sewage is drained out and away from our houses by 
means of pipes. These pipes may lead to a convenient lake 
or river, but since this may pollute the water supply, most 
communities employ some other method of disposing of their 
sewage. Probably the best way is to treat it with chemicals 
which will kill the harmful bacteria in it. 

59. Quarantine, and why it is important. — Sometimes 
the health authorities keep us from leaving our homes, or 
traveling, or otherwise moving about, until it is certain 


YOU ARE PROTECTED 


41 


that we are free from contagious disease. This is known as 
quarantine. 

The best known form of quarantine may be illustrated 
by the appearance of smallpox in a community. As soon as 
the proper health offi¬ 
cial learns of this he 
goes to the home of 
the sick person and 
fastens a notice of 
quarantine to the out¬ 
side of the house. 

This notice warns the 
family within to re¬ 
main on the premises 
until a certain time 
has elapsed. Doctors 
or nurses are per¬ 
mitted to enter the 
house, but all other 
persons are warned to 
keep away. The ob¬ 
ject of all this is, of 
course, to keep the dis¬ 
ease from spreading. 

60. Prevention versus cure. — “ An ounce of prevention 
is worth a pound of cure,” hence our health officials do their 
best to keep disease from even appearing in the community. 

This is one reason why our streets are kept free of 
garbage and rubbish. 

Vaccination is also valuable in keeping down disease. 

The medical inspection of school children results in 
better health, as you probably know very well. 



This boy has been quarantined, yet here he is, 
going out into the street. Is this fair to his friends 
and neighbors? 






























42 


CIVICS AT WORK 


Then there is that valuable servant of the community 
called the public health nurse. She spends most of her time 
visiting in private homes, and when she finds persons who 
are in need of medical treatment she sees that they get it. 
This medical treatment is provided by clinics, dispensaries, 
or hospitals. All this helps to prevent disease. 

61. A few health hints. — We have noticed a few of the 
ways in which the community protects you from disease. 
Now what can you do to help ? 

You can make yourself familiar with the health regulations 
of your community, and you can obey those regulations. 
When you know you are sick you can take care not to infect 
other persons. Cultivate good health habits. Keep out 
in the air a good deal. Breathe deeply. Sleep in a venti¬ 
lated room and drink plenty of pure water. Make sure your 
food is building you up, and that you are not eating more 
than is necessary. Be active but avoid over-exercise. 
Develop a correct posture and carriage. 

Is this asking a great deal of you ? Perhaps it is, but then 
who is it that will benefit from a faithful observance of these 
rules ? 

Something for You to Do 

1. Look back over the preceding chapter. What is the central idea 

or theme which it has developed? Answer this question 
briefly and in your own words. 

2. When were bacteria first discovered? Are all bacteria harmful? 

Explain. 

3. Write a theme of one hundred words on the evils of tuberculosis. 

4. Name the various health officials in your community. How are 

they chosen ? Briefly describe the work of these officials. 

5. Give three examples-of the health work which is conducted by 

your state government. 

6. Name five of the health officers of your state. 


YOU ARE PROTECTED 


43 


7. Name three of the health functions of the United States Depart¬ 

ment of Agriculture. 

8. Explain what is meant by the term “adulterated foods.” 

9. Where do the people of your community get their milk? What 

is done to keep this milk free from disease? 

10. Who was Louis Pasteur, and what did the world learn from him 

regarding the care of milk? 

11. Where does your community get its water supply? 

12. Explain clearly the manner in which disease may be spread 

through the use of impure water. 

13. Consult a book on sanitation or hygiene in order to discover the 

relation between disease and ventilation. If no such book is 
available, ask a friendly doctor for this information. 

14. Examine the building regulations in force in your community, 

in order to discover what health rules must be observed by con¬ 
tractors and builders. 

15. Just why is sunlight important to health? 

16. How are ashes and tin cans disposed of in your community? 

17. What do your local ordinances say concerning garbage disposal? 

18. To what extent are flies and mosquitoes responsible for disease? 

19. Find out from your local health officials just what they do when 

a contagious disease is reported in the community. 

20. What is a clinic? What is a dispensary? 


CHAPTER V 


YOU ARE PROTECTED AGAINST VICE 

62. What is vice ? — Vice is the habit of indulging in 
evil conduct. 

Of course no one is perfect, and most of us are willing 
to admit that at some time or other we have done things 
which were better left undone. These occasional errors 
ought not to be called vice, but when a person commits an 
offense again and again he is certainly in danger of slipping 
into the habit of evil conduct or vice. 

We are going to examine several forms of vice later on in 
this chapter. First, however, let us notice the background 
of modern vice. 

63. Once upon a time life was simple. — Perhaps you 
have heard old people tell of the time when they were chil¬ 
dren. What did you think of life in those early days? It 
was all very crude, of course. There was no radio, no auto¬ 
mobile, no telephone. People spent most of their time in 
the home. They had little time for visits to the theater. 

Nevertheless, it was in many ways a clean, wholesome 
life. When folks found time to enjoy themselves they all 
came together at the home of a neighbor for a hearty frolic. 
Sometimes it was a barn dance, sometimes it was a corn 
husking, or an apple paring, or a jolly sleigh ride. They 
had a great deal of fun in those days, and what is more this 
fun was generally healthful and inexpensive. 


44 


YOU ARE PROTECTED 


45 


64. The world has changed since then. — Mighty 
changes have come about since the days of the pioneer 
barn dance and the harvest frolic. Our inventors have pro¬ 
duced the electric light, the telegraph, the refrigerator, 
and dozens of other marvels. All sorts of labor-saving 
machines have been perfected, with the result that we are 
able to do our work 
with less effort than , 

formerly. Industry J/j lh. 

has flourished. Cities 
have sprung up. 

Wealth has been mul¬ 
tiplied, until the hum¬ 
blest laborer now en¬ 
joys comforts which 
were unheard of a 
century ago. We 
preach efficiency and 
admire speed. We 
hunger for what is 
new. We have grown 
eager and intense and 
restless. 

In short, the sim¬ 
plicity of olden times 
has gone. 

65. How much of 



Good-by to mother, and off for another day 
away from home. 

your time is spent at home ? — A 


hundred years ago children spent most of their time at 
home, but that is no longer true. 

Ask yourself what proportion of your time is spent at 
home. The answer may surprise you. Of course you come 
home to sleep, but what of your waking hours? Five days 























46 


CIVICS AT WORK 


in the week you are away at school, and if the schoolhouse 
is some distance from your home you are obliged to set 
out as soon as you have had breakfast. Probably you have 
your lunch at school, and likely as not there are all sorts of 
interesting things which keep you from hurrying home as 
soon as school is dismissed. In the evening you may stay 
at home and study, but often there is a movie or a dance or 
a party to call you out. 

This brings us to the question of entertainment, which 
we must discuss in some detail. 

66. Three things to remember. — There are three 
things for you to remember about modern methods of 
entertainment. 

First of all, the majority of our amusements are outside 
the home. We find most of them in the street, at the 
theaters, or in connection with such public places as dance 
halls and restaurants. 

In the second place, a great many of these amusements 
are expensive. School sports and fun on the playground 
may be free, but it takes money to go on automobile par¬ 
ties, or to patronize roadhouses, or to go to a “ show.” 

Third, a considerable amount of modern entertainment is 
harmful. Public amusement is now a great industry, run 
for a profit. Carnivals, amusement parks, beach resorts, 
and dance halls, — all of these places may furnish you 
with entertainment that will injure you in some way. 

67. “ I protest,” says the community. — Modern enter¬ 
tainment is often harmless and in many cases it is even 
refreshing and wholesome. Sometimes, however, it ex¬ 
hausts us, or poisons us, or degrades us, — and charges us 
for the “ privilege ” besides! Our public amusements 
therefore have both a good side and a bad side. 


YOU ARE PROTECTED 


47 


What is to be done about this? The answer to this 
question is clear. The harmful part of our amusement 
system must be destroyed, so that what is left will be clean 
and decent. In other words, the vice must be taken out of 
entertainment. This is why the community has risen up 
to protest against all those types of “ amusement ” which 
threaten to lead you into vice. 

Let us see what is being done in this way. 

68. Censorship of moving pictures. — When the moving 
picture industry was young it often happened that vulgar 
and immoral films 
were produced. 

This got to be a com¬ 
mon practice, and 
all the while thou¬ 
sands and thousands 
of young children 
were attending the 
“movies.” The 
effect was bad. Our 
girls acquired silly 
ideas from observ¬ 
ing imitation “ so¬ 
ciety ladies ” on the 
screen, while now 
and then a boy be¬ 
came fired with the ambition to imitate the violent thugs 
who played “ hero ” parts in the films. 

These evils at length obliged us to establish a censorship 
of moving pictures. Censorship means to examine officially, 
and with the intention of forbidding or suppressing whatever 
is objectionable. The censorship of moving pictures means 



What kind of moving pictures do you attend? 


























48 


CIVICS AT WORK 


that we have selected individuals or boards whose duty 
it is to examine films which are intended for public ex¬ 
hibition. If the censors decide that a film is unfit for 
public view, it must either be suppressed or changed. 
This censorship is a very good thing, because it reduces 
the number of vulgar and immoral films, and because it 
also encourages moving picture manufacturers to produce 
clean wholesome stories for the screen. 

69. Watching over the public dance hall. — Dancing is 
as old as the human race. It is often good exercise and 
delightful amusement, therefore it ought to be safeguarded. 

Our public dance halls need supervision. Most of the 
young people who attend public dances go there without a 
chaperon. Moreover, the average boy or girl meets a great 
many strangers at a public dance. The majority of these 
strangers may be respectable, but others are likely to be 
bootleggers or drug peddlers who have come here to tempt 
decent persons into evil ways. 

This is why most communities instruct a special police 
officer to attend public dances. It is the duty of this 
officer to keep order, to watch questionable characters, and 
to put a stop to improper conduct. Sometimes he is 
assisted by a matron, who looks out for the girls and 
women. 

70. Vice in print. — This is the age of the newspaper, 
the story book, the novel, and the magazine. A great deal 
of this reading material is wholesome and instructive, but 
some of it is silly, vulgar, and immoral. For example, there 
are certain popular magazines which print indecent stories 
simply for the sake of selling them. These stories are read 
by people who are either too ignorant to know better, or 
who are indifferent to their own welfare. 


YOU ARE PROTECTED 


49 


However, the community is not indifferent to their welfare, 
and so we find that there are laws against immoral literature. 
Thus if a magazine contains stories which are too openly 
filthy, all the copies of that issue of the magazine may be 
destroyed. Also, the seller and the publisher of the maga¬ 
zine are subject to arrest on the charge of violating public 
decency. Immoral novels are likewise banned. 

71. Every one who gambles is sure to lose. — You will 
find, if you inquire into the subject, that most forms of 
gambling are forbidden by law. This is well, because gam¬ 
bling is clearly a vice. Nothing can be gained by gambling, 
in fact every one who gambles is sure to lose, if not in one 
way then in another. 

Let us see why this is true. Of course some people win 
money at gambling, but a great majority of them are 
tempted by that very fact to return to the game — until 
eventually they lose more than they ever won. Even if a 
person does make money by gambling, he loses in other 
ways. For instance, he loses time, and the opportunity 
to make something of himself. 

There is one fortunate person at a gaming table, and that 
is he who loses at the start and is thereby discouraged from 
gambling again. 

72. The drug habit is a monster out of a nightmare. — 

The taking of drugs is one of the worst forms of vice known 
to man. The drug evil is a horrible monster, and when it 
fastens upon a victim it is got rid of only after the greatest 
agony and the most heroic struggling. 

It sometimes happens that young persons begin to take 
drugs out of curiosity, or as the result of a dare. They think 
it all a lark, but after the demon has them in his clutch they 
discover that it is no lark. In a western city some years 


50 


CIVICS AT WORK 


ago four high school pupils began to take drugs, “ just for 
the thrill.” Two of these young people afterward com¬ 
mitted suicide, the third became a criminal, and the fourth 
is now in an asylum for the insane. 

Or it may be that we are suffering pain. We have a 
headache, and a friendly drug seems a good way to get 
rid of it. Alas! this remedy is a thousand times worse 
than the disease, for once you get in the habit of tak¬ 
ing drugs you will have headaches by the score, and 
heartaches also. 

Drugs have the power to destroy you, body and soul, 
therefore the law strictly forbids their sale to the general 
public. 

73. What liquor can do. — Why is it that older people 
advise their young friends to keep away from whisky and 
other strong drinks? For the simple reason that strong 
drinks, like drugs, have the power to harm you. 

Liquor can ruin your digestion, shatter your nerves, 
undermine your mental powers, and cripple your muscular 
system. It can reduce your efficiency, weaken your resist¬ 
ance, and destroy your health. Strong drink will attack 
your ambition, drain away your self-respect, and confuse 
your notions of right and wrong. 

Few things are as senseless as taking liquor into your 
system. The habit of drinking intoxicants is a form of 
slow suicide. 

74. The fight against the liquor traffic. — It used to be 
that liquor was sold freely throughout the United States. 
Hotels, restaurants, and special places called saloons offered 
it for sale. However, a great many people saw that liquor 
was an evil, and hence wanted to prohibit it. These people 
organized what was known as the prohibition movement, 


YOU ARE PROTECTED 


51 

and as the result of their efforts the manufacture and 
sale of liquor was finally declared unlawful in the United 
States. 

This was in 1919. The saloon disappeared, nevertheless 
liquor continues to be sold within our borders. Some of it 
is smuggled in from Canada and other countries, and some 
of it is made in the United States. Of course this is against 
the law, but the liquor evil is so powerful and cunning that 
we have not yet been able to destroy it. Nevertheless, all 
of our three governments — local, state, and national — 
are fighting the liquor interests, and eventually strong 
drink must go. 

75. A short review of what has gone before. — If you 
will turn to the table of contents at the beginning of this 
text, you will see that we are completing our fifth chapter. 
Perhaps it will help you if at this point we pause for a very 
brief summary of our central theme. 

First of all, then, we have seen that you are fortunate. 
You are cared for at home, and you are helped by numerous 
people beyond your family. You live in a community, 
and that community protects you against such evils as foul 
play, accident, disease, and vice. 

To go a step further, the community is not satisfied merely 
to protect you. It also trains you, as we shall see in the next 
few chapters. 


Something for You to Do 

1. Turn back to the table of contents of the text, and notice the title 

of Part I. Have Chapters I-V helped you to understand 
“what it means to be young”? Explain. 

2. Compare the amusements of your grandfather’s childhood with 

the recreations which are popular with young people to-day. 


52 


CIVICS AT WORK 


3. Section 64 of the text states that “the humblest laborer now 

enjoys comforts which were unheard of a century ago.” Name 
five of these comforts. 

4. Calculate the average number of hours that you are away from 

home during a single week. Compare the result with the aver¬ 
age number of hours spent away from home by each of the other 
members of your class. 

5. What are the dangers of using the street as a playground? 

6. Make a list of amusements which cost money. Compare this 

list with a list of amusements which are either free or which 
cost practically nothing. 

7. How many times a week do you go to the movies? Does this 

interfere with your studies ? Explain. 

8 . Do you believe that the censorship of moving pictures should be 

more strict than it is now ? Give your reasons. 

9. Do your parents permit you to go to public dances ? If not, what 

are their reasons for refusing? 

10. Who is to blame for indecent literature, the author, the publisher, 

or the reader? Why? 

11. Are lotteries wrong? Give your reasons. 

12. Why is it so difficult to break up the habit of taking drugs? 

13. What laws have been passed by your state with regard to the 

drug evil ? 

14. Write a theme of two hundred words on the history of the pro¬ 

hibition movement in the United States. 

15. Just why does bootlegging persist in this country? 

16. What is your opinion of cigarette smoking by persons under 

twenty-one years of age? 

17. A noted American professor once said that “vice is a good thing 

because it kills fools.” What do you think of this statement? 

18. In what way can your community do more than it is now doing to 

destroy vice? 


B. THE COMMUNITY TRAINS YOU 


CHAPTER VI 

YOU ARE TRAINED TO BEHAVE YOURSELF 

76. Whether you rise or fall depends upon how you 
behave. — What is your notion of the word “behave”? 
Do you think of it as being polite, concealing embarrass¬ 
ment, or knowing how to use a salad fork ? 

Of course behaving includes all these things, but it is really 
much broader than manners alone. Behavior is the way we 
act, especially toward other people and in the presence of 
others. It means conduct in the broadest sense of the term. 

Behavior is of the greatest importance, for whether you rise 
or fall in this world depends largely upon how you behave. 

77. A few examples of this. — Let us take your own daily 
life as an example of what behavior can do. 

Suppose that you must cross a busy street in order to get 
to school. Very well, if you refuse to obey the traffic officer 
you may be hurt in an accident. Or, again, if you play 
when you should be studying you probably will not have 
your lessons. If this happens too often, you will be unable 
to graduate. Suppose, then, that you go looking for a job, 
but on account of your past conduct you are unable to pro¬ 
duce references. In such case no employer will want to 
trust you in a responsible position. 

On the other hand, what if you do obey the traffic rules ? 
Then most likely you will reach school safely. If you take 

53 


54 


CIVICS AT WORK 


the trouble to study before you play, you will probably have 
your lessons, and if you have your lessons every day, you 
will doubtless graduate at the proper time. Finally, when 
the day comes for you to take your place in the working 
world you will find that your good behavior in the past will 
enable your older friends to recommend you. Thus good 
behavior will help you progress, both in school and out. 

78. Good behavior must be worked for. — Like many 
other valuable things in this world, good behavior must 

be worked for, or 
built up, or acquired. 
Just as you will never 
be able to play the 
piano unless you learn 
how, so you will never 
be able to behave 
properly unless you 
are trained. 

This training is 
absolutely necessary. 
If you were not 
taught to behave, you 
would be a nuisance 
both to yourself and 
to every one with 
whom you came in contact. You would be disliked; you 
would be feared ; you would be avoided. Probably you would 
lead an unhappy and inefficient life. Your parents might be 
rich and of noble character, and yet if you had not learned 
how to conduct yourself properly you would be a failure. 

It is fortunate, therefore, that you are being trained in 
good behavior. 




YOU ARE TRAINED 


55 


79. This training begins at home.— You were intro¬ 
duced to good behavior by your parents, particularly your 
mother. This took place when you were a baby. Even 
while you were still creeping your mother kept careful 
watch over you, and tried to make you understand what 
you must do. In time you came to the walking stage, and 
learned to understand a great many words, whereupon your 
mother explained things more clearly. She said “ don’t ” 
a great many times, and when you disobeyed you were 
scolded or spanked or otherwise punished. 

Day after day, and month after month, and year after 
year this was kept up, and all the while you were learning. 
You learned to keep clean, and to be courteous, and to 
control your temper, and to do many other things which 
are necessary if you are to get along in this world. 
Furthermore, your home is still a source of training in 
good behavior. 

80. School was a great adventure. — Your first trip to 
school must have been a great adventure to you. It was a 
wonderful trip out into the big world. You were taken to a 
large building where there were many other children, and 
here you were made to sit down and do this and that and a 
great many other things. 

At first it was all like a dream, then little by little things 
cleared up. You got used to the strange teacher, and after 
a while you did not mind being controlled by her. Some¬ 
how she was taking the place of your mother at home. 
The ideas of your teacher appeared to you as more 
and more reasonable, until at last you began to work 
with her. 

Thus the marvelous training of the school began to have 
an effect upon you. 


56 CIVICS AT WORK 

81. Your friends and playmates influence your be¬ 
havior. — Like every other human being, you were born 
with the desire to play and talk with other persons. It is 
natural for you to hunt up companions and make friends. 

Likewise, it is natu¬ 
ral for you to try to 
win the approval and 
admiration of other 
people. 

Thus the boys and 
girls you see every 
day help to mold 
your conduct. You 
may not realize it, 
but your parents 
could tell you that 
you act differently 
when you are alone 
and when you are 
with your playmates. 
Remember how you 
have cheered at a 
football game when 
your friends have 
cheered! Like every 
one else you are imitative. Your companions often pattern 
after you, and many times you in turn do as they do. Your 
ways of dressing, and speaking, and walking — all are 
affected by your classmates. 

82. The power of the church. — Deep down in our hearts 
every one of us is religious. Moreover, every one of us is 
subject to the influence of the church. It may be that you 



Sometimes our friends lead us toward what is 
good, sometimes they draw us toward what is bad, 
but in any case they are influencing our behavior. 
















YOU ARE TRAINED 


57 


no longer attend Sunday School; nevertheless, the lessons 
you learned there can never be entirely erased from your 
memory. You may seldom go to church, yet so impressive 
is religious worship that its effect upon your behavior is 
long-lived. 

It is well that this is so, because the church encourages 
the very finest kind of behavior. It teaches you to avoid 
dishonesty, selfishness, laziness, ingratitude, and all such 
evils. It teaches you to be kind and generous and true, to 
the end that you may prosper in decent ways. The ideals of 
conduct put forth by the church have been tried and proved 
by many centuries of experiment. They have been shown 
to be sound and workable, hence they are worth following. 

83. Some other sources of training. — Home and school, 
and our companions, and the church, — all these are impor¬ 
tant sources of training. 

Yet there are also other means of learning how to act. 
For instance, such figures as Abraham Lincoln and Florence 
Nightingale set you an example in conduct. The news¬ 
papers often report cases in which individuals or organiza¬ 
tions have been generous or brave or thoughtful, and all 
this helps you to know what to do. Another guide to good 
behavior is fiction of the type of Victor Hugo’s novel Les 
Miserables, in which the hero is the noble and amazing Jean 
Valjean. Patriotic meetings, memorial services, and other 
public gatherings may influence your conduct. Again, 
you may receive valuable lessons in good behavior from 
school clubs, the Y. M. C. A. or Y. W. C. A., the Boy Scouts 
or Girl Scouts, and a host of other associations to be found 
in the community. 

Such are the sources of training in good behavior. But 
is it always clear what is good behavior and what is bad 


58 CIVICS AT WORK 

behavior? This is the question with which we must now 
grapple. 

84. There is often a clash between old ways and new 
ways. — You are probably very much aware of the fact 
that young people and older people cannot always agree. 
Take the question of conduct, for instance. You and your 
friends may think of yourselves as modern or up-to-date. 

You represent what 
is new. On the other 
hand, such people as 
your teachers and 
your parents proba¬ 
bly appear to you 
older in their ideas. 

The result may be 
a clash. Thus your 
father may think that 
you belong to too 
many clubs, while you 
defend your member¬ 
ship in these organi¬ 
zations. Or your 
mother may think you ought not to stay out late nights, 
although you insist that this is perfectly proper. To take 
another example, your older friends may caution you not 
to attend parties which provide no chaperon, whereupon 
you retort that “ certain people ’’are “ old-fashioned ” and 
“ don’t understand.” 

85. Such misunderstandings may prove serious. — The 

trouble is that these disputes may bring about a break 
between young people and their elders. If you feel that 
your parents “ disapprove of everything ” you want to do, 



sometimes disagree. 








YOU ARE TRAINED 


59 


you may be tempted to stop confiding in them. First in 
little ways, and then in large matters, you may draw apart 
from them and try to go your own way. 

This is something which you cannot afford to let happen. 
Your parents and other older friends need you, and you in 
turn need them. Young people and older people depend 
upon each other. Both are necessary in this life of ours. 
Older people are a kind of pendulum, which regulates the 
clock of life. You and your young friends are the face of 
the clock, by means of which we measure time and pro¬ 
gress. The pendulum and the face of the clock must work 
together. 

86. What is the right thing to do ? — What is to be done 
when you disagree with your elders as to how you ought to 
behave ? One way out of the trouble is to ask yourself the 
following question, “ What will be the effect upon me if I 
do this thing? ” 

For example, suppose that you want to go to four or five 
dances a week, but your parents object. Here is a chance 
to use your common sense. Will going to this number 
of dances cause you to slight your lessons ? Will it make 
extra burdens for your mother ? Can your health stand 
the strain of being up late so much ? 

A frank answer to such questions as these will often go a 
long way toward discovering what you ought to do. After 
all, right is whatever helps you to be strong, wise, and 
happy in decent things. Likewise, wrong is whatever 
weakens you, or dishonors you, or in the end brings you 
regret and unhappiness. 

87. Some arguments cannot be settled. — The trouble 
is that some arguments over behavior cannot be settled 
by the method outlined in the preceding section. 


6o 


CIVICS AT WORK 


To take only one example, suppose that the argument 
concerns the manner in which the modern girl dresses. A 
mother may declare that her daughter’s clothes are in bad 
taste, while the daughter protests that they are in good 
taste, and also that they are “ what everybody is wearing.” 
The mother may quote the opinions of people who dis¬ 
approve of the modern girl’s clothing, but the daughter may 
be able to show that other and equally wise people are 
praising the girl of to-day for the charming and healthful 
way in which she dresses. 

In the end such discussions often come to a deadlock. 
There are sound arguments on both sides, but what is 
actually right remains a matter of opinion. 

88. What should be done in such cases ? — If you come 
to a deadlock with your elders, it may be that they will 
force you to obey. 

As you grow older, however, you will find that this stern 
method is used less and less. Boys and girls of high school 
age are expected to behave themselves of their own accord. 
It may be, therefore, that when you disagree with your 
elders, you will be the one to decide what you shall do. 

Now when you are debating with yourself as to whether 
you will accept or reject the advice of your elders, remember 
two principles. The first of these is that your parents and 
your teachers sincerely wish to help you. The second prin¬ 
ciple to remember is that your older friends fought out a 
great many problems before you were born, so that while 
they may seem “ old-fashioned,” they may also be wiser 
than you think for. 

89. How do you behave when you are off by yourself ? — 

We sometimes find boys and girls who behave in public and 
misbehave in private. Thus they may be meek in school 


YOU ARE TRAINED 


61 


and quarrelsome on the playground. Now and then a 
child gets in the way of acting slyly, so that his parents 
have no suspicion that he is doing wrong when he is away 
from home. Occasionally a group of boys forget their 
manners when they visit a neighboring town, simply because 
they are among strangers. 

It is dangerous to change your behavior like this. We 
all act differently at different times and places, but the 
point is that you should not let yourself be tempted to 
misbehave merely because you are out of sight of a police¬ 
man, or your teacher, or your mother and father. Do you 
want people to think that you are really growing up? If 
you do, then prove that you can be trusted to yourself. 

90. Make a friend of habit. — You know, of course, that 
when you do a thing over and over again you get so you 
can do it more and more easily. Thus the first time you 
try to operate a typewriter it may seem very difficult, and 
even impossible, but the more you practice the simpler it 
becomes. In time you get so you do it easily and auto¬ 
matically. This is because you have made it a habit. 

Habit is always waiting for a chance to help you. Make 
a friend of habit. Study regularly and you will find that 
your lessons take less time and less effort. If you want to 
get through the day with as little labor as possible, do what 
you have to do, and do it at the proper time and place. 
Form the habit of behaving well and you will find that life 
is much kinder than it otherwise would be. 

91. You can never be certain of good behavior until it 
has become a habit. — Not only is it a good idea to make 
behavior a habit, but you can never be certain of your 
conduct until you do make it a habit. If you study only 
by fits and starts you really cannot rely upon yourself to 


62 


CIVICS AT WORK 


get your lessons under trying circumstances. If there is 
no regular plan to your work, how do you know what you 
will be able to do and what will prove too much for you ? 

Successful people have made habit a friend. They 
learned to behave as a matter of course. Early in life 
they began to plan how best to use their time and energy. 
As the result, they advanced steadily, and prospered. 

On the other hand, people who do not form good habits 
in their youth are generally failures. They drift, they con¬ 
tradict themselves, they fumble and fall behind in the race 
for success. In the end they sink into the gutter, or get 
into jail or an almshouse or an insane asylum. 


Something for You to Do 

1. Look back over the preceding chapter. What is the central 

idea or theme which it has developed? Answer this question 
briefly and in your own words. 

2. Can a bad temper be cured ? Give reasons for your answer. 

3. Discuss the statement that “a mother who lets her children do 

as they like is really their worst enemy.” 

4. Name three ways in which school helps us to learn how to behave. 

5. What is meant by discipline? What is the value of discipline? 

6. Use your powers of observation in order to show that we enjoy 

the praise or admiration of other people. 

7. Illustrate the old saying that “birds of a feather flock together.” 

8. Who was Florence Nightingale, and why is her name famous ? 

9. What is a mob, and how may it arise? How do mobs behave? 

10. Just what do you mean when you say that a person is old-fash¬ 

ioned ? 

11. Why do we like to be up-to-date ? 

12. Name three things regarding which young people and older people 
often disagree. 

Discuss the statement that “there is no substitute for horse 
sense.” 


13- 


YOU ARE TRAINED 63 

14. How does the slogan, “Better be safe than sorry/’ apply to the 

problem of conduct ? 

15. What is your definition of a gentleman? A lady? 

16. Habit may prove a friend to us, but it may also be an enemy. 

Explain. 

17. When is the best time to form good habits, infancy, childhood, 

youth, or after we are mature? Why? 

18. It has been said that a boy or girl who succeeds in school will suc¬ 

ceed after leaving school. Do you believe this? Give your 
reasons. 


CHAPTER VII 


YOU ARE TRAINED BY MEANS OF PLAY 

92. An easy way to learn how to behave. — You may 

think it very difficult to master the art of good behavior, 
but it all depends upon how you go at it. There are hard 
ways of learning how to act, yet there are also easy ways. 
For instance, if you will use your eyes and look about, you 

will discover a simple 
and agreeable method of 
mastering the rules of 
proper conduct. This 
method is called play. 
Let us look into this. 
93. We are born with 
the desire to play. — It 
comes natural for us to 
play; indeed every hu¬ 
man being is born with 
a deep love of amuse- 

The average child plays every time he gets a men ^ > Jf y QU have ever 
chance; in fact, it is often said that play is .. 

the chief business of childhood. observed young children 

closely, you know that 
they begin to play at a very early age. They gurgle and 
laugh and examine their toes, and later on they have all 
sorts of fun with toys and pets and human friends. 

Most children are very fond of games. They invent 
contests of their own, and readily take up such old familiar 

64 






YOU ARE TRAINED 


65 

games as tag, fox and geese, marbles, and hide-and-go-seek. 
Baseball is an early favorite with children, and in time such 
sports as basket ball, hockey, and swimming attract attention. 

94. Nowadays it is often hard to find a good place to 
play. A hundred years ago most of the American people 
lived in the country districts, but to-day most of us live in 
cities. Of course city life has a great many advantages, 
but it also has some bad points. One of these bad points 
is that city life often makes it hard for children to find good 
places to play. So much space is taken up with buildings 
of one sort or another; and besides, the houses have smaller 
yards than was the case years ago. 

To be sure, there is room in the street, but the street is 
full of dangers. It is many times crowded with trucks 
and automobiles, and this ruins it as a playground. More¬ 
over, children who play in the street are likely to break a 
window or get hurt in the traffic. Sometimes a vacant lot 
offers a chance to play, but then the owner or the police 
may object to this. 

So it goes. City boys and girls simply must play, but 
where ? 

95. The community comes forward to help. — Perhaps 
you are somewhat puzzled by what you have just read, 
because in your community there are a great many places 
to play. There are baseball diamonds and football fields 
and basket ball grounds where you may play as much as 
you like. Perhaps there are also one or more parks, and a 
place to swim, and a number of excellent playgrounds 
equipped with such things as swings and horizontal bars 
and hanging rings. 

Now the reason that these places exist is precisely that city 
life is hard on children who want to play. The community 


66 


CIVICS AT WORK 


has realized that city streets and tiny back yards are not 
proper playgrounds, and so it has gone to the trouble and 
expense of providing the special places which we have men¬ 
tioned in the preceding paragraph. It may be that you 
take all of these places for granted. Nevertheless, they have 
cost the community a great deal of time and money. 

96. Why does the community do this for you? — You 
may be wondering why all this is done for you and your 

friends. Is it to keep 
you out of mischief? 
In a way it is, but a 
much more important 
reason is that play 
has the power to help 
you succeed in life. 

For instance, play 
can bring you health 
and do a great deal 
toward keeping you 
fit. When you play 
you are attending a 
delightful school, 
wherein you learn 
how to live. Play 
can introduce you to 
proper conduct. It 
can teach you how to behave, and at the same time enter¬ 
tain you. Play develops in you certain traits and qualities 
which are of the greatest importance, not only in school 
work but in the world beyond the school. 

In short, play is rich in all sorts of benefits, as we may 
now notice in detail. 



Think of all the fun you have had on the play¬ 
grounds which your community provides. 













YOU ARE TRAINED 


67 

97. Play is a body builder. — First of all, play is a body 
builder. Every young creature is more or less weak. Its 
muscles are flabby and its movements uncertain. It needs 
to grow strong and active, it needs endurance, and it needs 
to be able to handle itself in a sure accurate manner. Play 
is capable of filling all of these needs; therefore Nature 
has provided every young creature with a love of exercise. 
A kitten, for example, develops strength and accuracy by 
pouncing and creeping up on small moving objects. 

The same idea underlies much of the play of growing boys 
and girls. Children love to romp, and while they are romp- 
ing they are improving their physical powers. At school 
we are introduced to systematic exercise, and as a result 
we correct numerous defects of posture and breathing. 
Running and jumping and the countless games you play 
all help to provide you with a strong active body. Play 
therefore helps you to capture health. 

98. Play encourages good spirits. — Life goes at a 
terrific pace nowadays. We have invented a multitude of 
swift restless machines, and it seems as if we are trying to 
make ourselves keep up with them. Our cities are full of 
bustle and noise, and in the midst of all this stand our 
schools with their thousands of busy children. Think of 
all the activities which demand your attention in a single 
week ! Surely it is sometimes a distracting life. 

Play is a means of getting relief from this hurried life. 
The gymnasium and the swimming pool and the ball field 
are breathing places where you can ease down from the 
strain of your daily tasks. A friendly game affords at least 
a short relief from the burdens of study. Play helps you 
to relax. It steadies your nerves, and revives your droop¬ 
ing spirits. It gives you courage for the morrow, and sends 


68 


CIVICS AT WORK 


you home fresher, brighter, and more capable of doing 
what you have to do. 

99. Play calls for clean living. — Play is the great enemy 
of vice. The two cannot get along together, and if play 
has half a chance it will oust all forms of dissipation. Play 
is a cleansing agent. It can bring an outraged body back 


to normal, and it can 
clarify a mind which 
has been clouded by 
bad habits. 



Not only does play 
encourage clean liv¬ 
ing, but it demands it. 
You may be fond of 
exercise, yet you can¬ 
not enjoy it or even 
endure it unless your 
personal habits are 
wholesome. If you 
go out for competi¬ 
tive sports, you will 


Which one of these three boys does not care for 
outdoor games? 


discover that you must avoid dissipation in every form. 
Whoever wishes to excel at basket ball, or rowing, or track 
work must bring to these sports a body which has been 
strengthened by good food, regular meals, plenty of sleep, 
and freedom from vice. Imagine your school being repre¬ 
sented by athletes who had gone to excess in eating or 
smoking! 

100. Play helps us to be self-reliant. — When you were 
very young you depended upon your mother and father for 
everything. Probably you still lean on them heavily, but 
surely this dependence is less than it used to be. Little 





















YOU ARE TRAINED 


69 

by little you have learned to rely on yourself, and as you 
grow older you will discover that your ability to look out 
for yourself is even greater. Many things have helped 
you to become self-reliant, but chief among them is play. 

For when you play you are generally trying to overcome 
an obstacle, and in the effort to do this you are encouraged 
to think for yourself. A clever idea occurs to you. Per¬ 
haps you are afraid to do anything about it, but finally 
you test it out. If the idea is a good one, it helps you 
get ahead, and after that you have more confidence in 
yourself. You begin to discover your powers, and to make 
use of them. Gradually you get so you can stand on your 
own feet. 

This is well, for when you grow up and leave school you 
will probably have to rely upon yourself altogether. 

101. Play teaches you to be persistent. — The world is 
like the weather, sometimes helpful and sometimes dis¬ 
couraging. There are times when we need courage and the 
power to endure. All victories have to be worked for, 
and most of them come hard. Henry Ford succeeded 
because he persisted in developing his idea of a low-priced 
automobile. Go to an encyclopedia and look up John 
James Audubon. He was a great naturalist, and he owed 
much to the fact that he possessed the quality of persistence. 

Where can you learn persistence? At play. Games 
are contests, and sometimes skill is less important than the 
ability to put forth great effort for a considerable length 
of time. All competitive sports encourage persistence. 
Whether you play basket ball or hockey you learn to do 
your very best until the final whistle. Cross-country 
running and long-distance swimming offer tests in endur¬ 
ance which are even more severe. 


70 


CIVICS AT WORK 


102. Play encourages the desire to win. — Another fine 
thing about play is that it strengthens the desire to excel. 
What happens, for instance, when you are invited to a game 
of tennis ? Perhaps you have been feeling dull and stupid, 
and you accept the invitation only for the sake of being 
agreeable. The game begins. At first you take no great 
interest in it, but your opponent is forging ahead and you 


do not like that. You 
exert yourself a little, 
and then a little more, 
until all at once you 
are alert and inter¬ 
ested, and fighting to 
win. 



The determination 
to excel will work 


wonders in you, not 


only at play but at 
work. It will help 
you with your studies, 
and' it will prove of 
priceless value when 


What qualities are developed by foot-racing ? 


you are through school and ready to earn your own living. 
Life itself is a kind of game, so that such traits as the desire 
to excel may well be retained when you exchange the play¬ 
ground for shop or office or work-bench. 

103. Games emphasize the spirit of fair play. — Every 
game has its rules. These rules must be obeyed. Now 
and then you may break a rule and escape with a warning, 
but if you keep on playing unfairly you will probably be 
asked to withdraw. You must behave if you are going to 
be a member of a track team or a baseball squad. 








YOU ARE TRAINED 


71 


This emphasis upon fair play is one of the greatest bene¬ 
fits of competitive sports. Why ? Because if you get in the 
habit of taking advantage of people on the playground you 
will probably not act fairly in the schoolroom , or in the 
street , or at work. This would be a calamity. No matter 
where you go or what you do there are rules which call for 
fair play. Whoever breaks these rules is likely to be 
scorned, avoided, or made to withdraw from the society of 
those who are willing to play fair. 

104. Are you a good loser ? — If you are taking part in 
a game, you will of course struggle to win. It may be, 
however, that you will lose. In this case, you are expected 
to be a good sportsman. Play teaches you to be a good 
loser, and accordingly you steel yourself to smile at defeat. 
It will do no good to rage or complain or sulk. On the 
contrary, this will do a great deal of harm, for it will cause 
you to be shunned and ridiculed and disliked. 

The same is true everywhere you go. The world detests 
a poor loser and admires a good loser. Defeat is a test or 
ordeal, by means of which you show what you really are. 
It tries you in the fire of disappointment. If you come 
forth with a scowl, you have truly lost. If you come forth 
smiling, you have won character, and that is much more 
precious than a decision in football or baseball. 

105. Play helps you to like people. — If you were told 
that a certain fish disliked water, you would probably feel 
sorry for him, because a fish lives in water and cannot get 
along without it. But you yourself would be almost 
equally unfortunate if you disliked people, because you live 
in the midst of a sea called humanity. You cannot escape 
mixing with the people of this sea. They surround you on 
all sides, so that if you have no natural liking for people 


72 


CIVICS AT WORK 


in general you ought to feel grateful that play helps you to 
overcome this feeling. 

This is precisely what play does. It brings us in close 
contact with other persons. We get acquainted with them 
and discover things about them that we like. By and by 
we forget our timidity. Some of our playmates become our 
friends. By degrees we stop being sensitive and peculiar. 
Finally we get so we actually like people. We no longer 
avoid them. On the contrary, we mix with them readily, 
and we get along with them. 

106. Play introduces you to teamwork. — A great many 
games rely upon teamwork, which means that all of the 
players on the same side are expected to work together for 
victory. These players are supposed to keep their private 
ambitions in the background, so that they will be free to 
advance the interests of the team as a unit. Such sports as 
baseball and football rely upon teamwork. 

Notice the heading of this section. It states that play 
introduces you to teamwork. This means that you become 
acquainted with teamwork by means of play. The ac¬ 
quaintance thus begun is to be a long one, in fact you will 
be familiar with teamwork all your life long. Teamwork 
will confront you in industry, in politics, and in all the other 
activities of life. You are to take part in this teamwork, as 
you will see later on in this text. 

107. A word of warning. — One of the famous wise men 
of Rome had for his motto, Nothing in excess. It is a good 
motto, for most things lose their value if carried to excess. 
For example, strychnine is a splendid tonic if taken in 
small doses, but large amounts of it act as a deadly poison. 

The same reasoning applies to play. Thus, as we have 
seen in the preceding pages, play can help you in a great 


YOU ARE TRAINED 


73 


many ways; but make sure that you are not overdoing it. 
Do not play football so hard and so long that you strain 
your muscles to the point of crippling them. Again, you 
will do well to remember that too much attention to sports 
may cause you to neglect other important matters. Thus 
tennis is excellent exercise, but no student ought to play 
tennis so much that there is no time left for study. Play 
heartily and play freely, but do not abuse this privilege. 

Something for You to Do 

1. Look back over the preceding chapter. What is the central idea 

or theme which it has developed? Answer this question 
briefly and in your own words. 

2. Children generally show more desire to play than do grown 

people. Why do you suppose this is so ? 

3. What are the disadvantages of living in a city apartment house? 

What are the advantages of living in this type of dwelling? 

4. Are the children of your community permitted to use vacant lots 

as playgrounds? Explain. 

5. Prepare a sketch of your community, showing the location and 

approximate size of all public parks and playgrounds. Are 
there enough of these places? Give your reasons. 

6. In what different ways does your school encourage you to engage 

in games and sports ? 

7. What is your favorite form of exercise? Why? 

8. Should prize fighting be prohibited by law? Give your reasons. 

9. What are some of the health rules which must be observed by an 

athlete in training? 

10. Consult a textbook on medicine or hygiene for the effects of 

excessive smoking upon the heart, lungs, and nerves. If you 
cannot find such a textbook, consult a friendly doctor. 

11. Do the girls of your school go in for sports as much as the 

boys do ? Explain. 

12. How do you account for the tremendous popularity of baseball 

in the United States? 

13. Give an example of poor sportsmanship in competitive athletics. 


74 


CIVICS AT WORK 


14. Write a theme of one hundred words on the public playground as 

a means of getting children acquainted with one another. 

15. Illustrate the following statement: “The youngster who cannot 

get along with other people will certainly have a hard time in 
the world.” 

16. Good teamwork is impossible if one member of the team con¬ 

stantly insists upon being a “star” player. Why? 

17. Name three industrial occupations in which teamwork is impor¬ 

tant. Explain why this is so in each case. 

18. What objections are sometimes brought against professional 

sports ? 


CHAPTER VIII 


YOU ARE TRAINED BY MEANS OF SCHOOL 

108. An important need. — You may have forgotten, but 
this text has mentioned a number of ways in which you are 
helped to learn things. For instance, your education is 
helped along by your parents, the church, and the boys and 
girls with whom you play. 

Now the trouble is that these sources of training are not 
adequate to your needs. Your parents, for example, have 
so many different things to do that generally they have very 
little time to teach you all you need to know. Again, the 
church often limits itself to questions of right and wrong, 
and while such questions are important there are many 
other things which it is important for you to learn. 

Without going any further, we may conclude that in addi¬ 
tion to all these aids you have need of a special means of 
securing training. 

109. This need is met by the school. — The schools in 
your community exist for the purpose of training you. If 
you did not need to learn numerous important things, there 
would be no reason for having school. If your parents, or 
the church, or the playground were equal to the task of 
educating you, there would be no reason for having school. 
But you do need to learn many things. Furthermore, you 
cannot learn all of these things at home, or in church, or at 
play. Therefore, the school has been established. 

75 


76 


CIVICS AT WORK 


Notice, also, that training you and your young companions 
is the great purpose of the school. Education is really the 
sole aim of the school. The school exists, not to make 
money but to serve you. This is worth remembering. 

110. Who pays for all this ? —Perhaps you take the 
schools in your neighborhood for granted. It may be that 

you use them and 
think no more about 
it. Thus it may 
never have occurred 
to you that these 
schools cost a great 
deal of money. 

Think of the ele¬ 
mentary school that 
you used to attend. 
Think of the building 
that had to be pro¬ 
vided, and the desks 
and blackboards that 
had to be bought, and 
the heating and light¬ 
ing system that had 
to be purchased, and 
the teachers that had 
to be paid. Think of the school you are attending now, and 
the schools you may attend in the future. Think of how 
much it must cost to support these schools. 

The community pays for all this, as you will have a chance 
to see later on. Meantime, let us emphasize the fact that 
although the public schools in your community are very 
costly, they are open to you free of charge. 



This picture tells a story which is familiar to all 
of us. 









YOU ARE TRAINED 


77 


111. What is meant by “ public schools ” ? — The last 
sentence in the preceding paragraph refers to the “ public 
schools ” in your community. You are no doubt familiar 
with the term “ public schools/’ but let us be sure that you 
know exactly what it means. 

First of all, public schools are schools which are supported 
by the public, or, in other words, the community in general. 

In the next place, public schools are schools which are 
controlled by the public. This control is chiefly in the hands 
of the local community, although the state also has more or 
less to say concerning the public schools within its borders. 

Lastly, public schools are schools which are attended by 
that portion of the public which is of school age. (Children 
who attend private schools are, of course, an exception to 
this rule.) 

112. Children are obliged to go to school. — In general, 
the children in your community attend the public schools. 
Moreover, this attendance is required of them. As you no 
doubt know, there is a law which declares that every child 
in the state must go to school for a certain period of years. 
Every state in the Union now has a compulsory education 
law. 

These laws vary greatly from state to state, because the 
people of various states feel differently as to how much 
education their children ought to have. In some states the 
children must attend school for seven years, but in other 
states only five, or even four, years are required. In most 
of the states there is an additional period, during which 
children must remain in school unless they go to work. 
Usually this period is two years in length. 

113. Why you are obliged to go to school. — Any healthy 
growing child is likely to think that school is sometimes a 


78 


CIVICS AT WORK 


nuisance. Young children often rejoice when bad weather 
or sickness keeps them away from school, and even people 
of high school age may now and then wonder if it is neces¬ 
sary to stay in school as long as the authorities demand. 

Have you ever watched a mother who clings to her small 
child while he attempts to walk ? Her object is not to keep 
him from walking, but to make sure that he is able to take 
care of himself before she lets him go his own way. That 
is how it is with the school. You may fret against it, but 
your wiser friends know that if you leave school too soon 
you will develop into an ignorant, inefficient adult. It is 
in order to prevent this that the community obliges you to 
stay in school until you have at least the essentials of an 
education. 

114. Why you are asked to be regular in your school 
work. — Parents and teachers often advise children to 
attend school regularly, to prepare their lessons promptly, 
and to be on time for classes. Perhaps you have some¬ 
times thought that this is all for the benefit of your mother 
and father and teachers, but this is not true. It is you who 
receive the chief benefit when you are regular in your school 
work. 

The point is that regularity makes school work easier. 
If you are late for classes, you may miss an important 
announcement. If you have neglected your lessons, they 
will certainly appear much more difficult than if you had 
prepared them on time. If you stay out of school for a 
week, or even a day, you may easily lose the thread of what 
has been going on, to say nothing of being behind in all 
your classes. 

One way of getting the most out of school is to attend 
regularly to what your teachers require of you. 


YOU ARE TRAINED 


79 


115. Just what does school do for you ? — Older people 
are sometimes startled and even shocked by the frank ques¬ 
tions which boys and girls are in the habit of asking. Of 
course some questions are silly, and some are impertinent. 
Questions of this type call for a reprimand. On the other 
hand, there are questions which demand a friendly and 
careful answer. The 

question which begins 
this paragraph is of 
this type. 

Not only does this 
question deserve an 
answer, but it would 
be dangerous not to 
answer it. For if you 
ask what school does 
for you, you are prob¬ 
ably doubtful of its 
advantages. If you The schoolroom is a kind of outfitter’s shop, 
. . - . r . i wherein you are equipped with various types of 

are doubtful of the knowledge . 
advantages of school, 

you may be tempted to drop out. This might end in your 
leaving school before you should, which would be a calamity. 

It is for this reason that the remainder of this chapter will 
try to answer the question of what school does for you. 

116. The school transmits knowledge.—We modern peo¬ 
ples often boast of how clever we are, and sometimes we ex¬ 
press astonishment at the ignorance of our distant ancestors. 
As a matter of fact, however, the knowledge we possess 
to-day is based directly upon the wisdom of past ages. 
Our ancient ancestors learned what they could about the 
world and themselves, and then passed this on down to 



















8o 


CIVICS AT WORK 


their descendants. Each successive generation added its 
bit to the general store of knowledge and passed it on; 
and so it came down to us. 

The school is your chief method of connecting with the 
mass of knowledge which has been collected through the 
ages. When you take up a history book you read of what 
ancient people thought and did. By consulting other 
books you likewise find the results of thousands of years of 
study in geography, astronomy, language, politics, art, 
science, and a dozen other subjects. 

117. The school works over knowledge for modern pur¬ 
poses. — In addition to bringing us the knowledge of past 
ages, the school converts this knowledge to modern uses. 

Let us take chemistry as an example of this. What is a 
textbook on chemistry? Is it a record of everything that 
people have learned about chemistry? Certainly not. It 
is a collection of facts and principles which the author has 
selected because of their value to our own generation. 
Again, the science laboratory in your school does not con¬ 
tain all of the equipment known to chemistry; on the con¬ 
trary, it provides chiefly the instruments and materials 
which can be used to solve modern problems in this field. 
Finally, your science instructor emphasizes the methods 
by which this chemistry can serve the world of to-day and 
to-morrow. The result is that the chemistry of former ages 
is combined with what we have learned for ourselves, so 
that the sum total of this knowledge may be used to pre¬ 
serve foods, increase the fertility of our soils, and other¬ 
wise help us in our daily life. 

118. The school receives many kinds of students. — 
There are all sorts of resemblances among people; never¬ 
theless, no two persons are exactly alike. Look about next 


YOU ARE TRAINED 


81 


time your school is dismissed for the day. Notice how 
your schoolmates differ in size, posture, complexion, and 
general appearance. You know, too, that they differ in 
disposition, and if you will think back over your acquaint¬ 
ance with them in the classroom you will probably remember 
that they differ widely in intelligence as well. 

All of these different children enter the public school. 
In most cases they do not know what they ought to 
study, and they do 
not know what they 
are really capable of 
doing. 

119. Therefore the 
school has had to de¬ 
velop a plan. — How 

does the school deal 
with all these different 
students, most of 
whom do not know 
what they should 
study or what they 
can do? The answer 
is that the school 
handles its students according to a definite plan. 

To begin with, the school arranges its knowledge in the 
form of courses. This is to make things easier for both 
teacher and student. 

The school also tries to find out what its students are able 
to do, and what they prefer to do. Again, the school at¬ 
tempts to discover what its students ought to know in 
order to get along in the world. Finally, the school 
decides upon what subjects there is time to teach, and 



This boy likes to draw, and so his school has 
permitted him to enter the course in designing, 
fie is preparing his lesson for to-morrow. 











82 


CIVICS AT WORK 


what degree of emphasis ought to be placed upon each 
subject. 

When all this has been done, the school is ready to begin. 

120. Some subjects are required of all children. — The 

first thing that the school does is to make sure that its stu¬ 
dents receive the elements of an education. For instance, 
all students are taught reading, spelling, English grammar 

and composition, and 
arithmetic. A num¬ 
ber of other subjects 
are also generally con¬ 
sidered necessary, as 
for example geogra¬ 
phy and American 
history. 

Studies of the type 
mentioned above may 
be called “required.” 
They are considered 
so important that 
every member of a 
civilized community 
ought to be familiar 
with them, no matter who he is or what he intends to do 
after he leaves school. These required subjects make up 
the basis of modern education; therefore they are presented 
to all students, regardless of their differences in ability 
and regardless of their likes and dislikes. 

121. Other subjects favor your particular abilities and 
desires. — In addition to furnishing all of its students 
with the essentials of an education, the school pays a 
great deal of attention to the differences between you and 



Her history text has fired her ambition to do 
something fine and noble. Perhaps this girl is a 
future nurse. 















YOU ARE TRAINED 


83 

your classmates. Teachers, school superintendents, text¬ 
book writers, and various other specialists in education 
attempt to work out the best methods of developing each 
student’s ability, and then the school applies these methods. 

This emphasis upon individual training increases while 
the student is in high school. There are several reasons 
for this. In the first place, the high school student has 
mastered the rudiments of education, so that now he is 
free to consider what subjects are best for him as an in¬ 
dividual. Again, a person of high school age possesses the 
knowledge and experience which are necessary to an intel¬ 
ligent choice of courses. 

122. The school also develops your character. — We 

have been saying a great deal about the school as a dealer 
in knowledge, but something more than knowledge is nec¬ 
essary. The school might fill your head with information, 
but what if you were dishonest, or lacked will power, or 
were without ambition? In such a case you would prob¬ 
ably be a failure in spite of your great supply of information. 

Therefore the school does more than supply you with 
knowledge. It helps build your character along solid use¬ 
ful lines. The rules of your classroom are partly for the 
sake of encouraging you to be fair and thoughtful and gen¬ 
erous toward other people. Much of the material in your 
textbooks on English, history, and other subjects is selected 
for the purpose of setting you an example. Likewise the 
pictures and paintings on the walls and in the halls of your 
school are placed there partly because of their value as 
inspiration. 

Thus the school not only furnishes you with various 
kinds of knowledge, but also helps to make you a fit vessel 
to contain that knowledge. 


8 4 


CIVICS AT WORK 


Something for You to Do 

1. Look back over the preceding chapter. What is the central idea 

or theme which it has developed? Answer this question 
briefly and in your own words. 

2. What is a private school? In what particulars does it differ 

from a public school ? 

3. Find out how the public schools in your community are supported. 

4. Debate the following question, “Resolved, that all textbooks in 

the public schools should be furnished students free of charge.” 

5. Has the United States government anything to do with educa¬ 

tion in your community ? Explain. 

6. What authorities control the public schools in your community? 

How are these authorities chosen? What are their powers? 

7. Make a brief study of the origin and development of the Ameri¬ 

can high school. 

8. Name three causes of irregular school attendance. 

9. Are there any fields of knowledge in which the people of the 

ancient world excelled us? Explain. 

10. Name three ways in which the United States has contributed to 

human knowledge. 

11. We Americans often demand that knowledge be “practical.” 

What do you think is meant by “practical” as it is used here? 

12. Prepare a list of the subjects offered by your school. How many 

of these subjects have been introduced within the past twenty 
years? How many within the past ten years? How many 
within the past two years? (Your teachers will help you to 
answer these questions.) 

13. What subjects are required in your school? 

14. What subjects would you like to see added to the curriculum of 

your school ? 

15. What does your school do to encourage love of music? 

16. What does your school do to encourage love of drawing? 

17. What does your school do to encourage love of mechanics? 


CHAPTER IX 


YOU ARE TRAINED BY MEANS OF BEAUTY 

123. Beauty attracts us. — The word “ beauty ” is very 
hard to define precisely, as you will discover if you look it 
up in your large school dictionary. Nevertheless, we all 
have a general idea of what it means. What is more, we 
often express our admiration or delight at things which 
we think possess beauty. 

For example, we say that a rosy healthy child is a beauty, 
or we may remark that our neighbor’s lawn is beautiful. 
To keep our remarks from seeming monotonous we often 
use synonyms for beautiful. Thus a flower may be lovely, 
and a shady street pretty. If you live in an attractive 
neighborhood, you perhaps speak of it as nice. Trees or 
buildings may be handsome, a stream or a stretch of woods 
may be charming, while an unusually brilliant sunset is 
often admired as gorgeous. 

In all these cases we show that we appreciate beauty. 

124. Yet our surroundings are often ugly. — It is curious 
that although we like beautiful things, we often live among 
ugly surroundings! Of course your own home may be 
very attractive, but unless your community is quite out 
of the ordinary some parts of it are far from beautiful. A 
short trip of exploration will probably convince you that 
that is true. 

Thus you will certainly find railway yards in your com¬ 
munity, and railway yards are generally dirty and grimy and 

85 


86 


CIVICS AT WORK 


otherwise unlovely. If you explore your community, proba¬ 
bly you will also find at least one district where the houses 
are crowded together and neglected, and this certainly makes 
a neighborhood look forlorn. Again you will find in your 
community a great many ugly signboards, and perhaps a 
rubbish heap and a few vacant lots grown up with weeds. 

125. The reason for this. — Do not imagine that yours 
is the only community which has its unattractive spots. All 

American communi¬ 
ties contain more or 
less ugliness. 

The reason for this 
is not hard to find. 
Remember that after 
all America is a very 
young nation. Our 
forefathers came here 
from other countries. 
Most of them were 
poor. They found a 
virgin continent wait¬ 
ing for them, and so 
they went to work 
to carve out homes. 
Our people also became interested in the rich natural re¬ 
sources of the land. They saw chances to develop mines 
and build factories, whereupon they gave more and more 
attention to industry. Great railway systems were built. 
Cities sprang up. Business grew to be an absorbing game. 

As a result, beautiful things were neglected. Not only 
this, but when they came in conflict with business, beautiful 
things were ignored, or put aside, or even destroyed. Woods 



An example of ugly surroundings. Notice the 
blighted tree in this picture. 







YOU ARE TRAINED 87 

were cut down; foul smoke obscured the blue sky; ugly 
tenements appeared. 

126. We are awakening to what we have done. — The 

fact is that we have gained prosperity and industrial suc¬ 
cess, but in so doing we have often made our surround¬ 
ings ugly and even hideous. 

Happily for us, however, we are awakening to what we 
have done. Visitors from Europe have opened our eyes 
by declaring our cities to be dirty and shabby. Americans 
traveling abroad have been astonished by the beauties 
of Paris, Brussels, or Vienna, and upon their return home 
these Americans have pointed out the unattractive features 
of our own communities. 

Aside from all this criticism our common sense has told 
us that we have made a mistake in sacrificing beauty for 
the sake of business. We see now that we have been too 
careless, too intent upon money, too indifferent to the way 
our communities grow and develop. 

127. What are we missing? — Now we Americans are 
a very practical people. We are always wanting to know 
what a thing is good for. We demand to know what it 
will do for us if we have it, and what we will be missing if 
we do not have it. Thus some people admit that our cities 
are often ugly, but at the same time they want to know what 
we are missing by not having attractive surroundings. 

The answer is that we are missing all of the advantages of 
beauty. These advantages are numerous. For example, 
a beautiful park has the power to soothe and refresh us. 
Flowers and shrubs and attractive lawns help to make us 
happy. Handsome public buildings strengthen our pride and 
encourage our interest in the community. Spirited statues 
give us courage, while lovely paintings comfort or inspire us. 


88 


CIVICS AT WORK 


Beauty works in delicate unseen ways, nevertheless it 
may be as useful as steel and as precious as bread or meat. 

128. The movement to improve our surroundings.— 
Beauty is a valuable and even necessary part of our lives, 
therefore it is a pleasure to see that our people are becom- 



Here is a bridge which is beautiful as well as useful. Why not? 


ing more and more interested in improving the appearance 
of their communities. We are beginning to disapprove 
of smoke and glaring advertisements and rubbish heaps 
within plain view. 

In many cities there are now groups or associations of 
people who make it their business to fight ugliness and 
champion beauty. Likewise there are state and national 
























YOU ARE TRAINED 


89 


organizations which promote various forms of civic loveli¬ 
ness. As the result of all this, there is to-day a well-defined 
movement to advance the cause of beauty. The general 
public is being educated to the importance of attractive 
surroundings, not only at home and in local neighborhoods, 
but throughout the land. 

129. The nature of city planning. — One reason for our 
unattractive surroundings is that most of our cities have 
grown up in haphazard fashion, and without plan. There¬ 
fore, an important method of improving the appearance of 
a city is to plan it. This is why a number of cities now have 
boards and commissions which are attempting to plan and 
control the future growth of the community. 

City planning demands a great deal of a community. 
For instance, it requires clean, well-arranged, and well- 
paved streets. In a well-planned city such public build¬ 
ings as the city hall, the courthouse, the post office and the 
public library might well be grouped together in some sort 
of tasteful arrangement. City planning may also confine 
mills and factories to one locality, so that smoke and rail¬ 
way tracks and ugly buildings will not disfigure all parts 
of the community. 

130. Washington, D. C., is an illustration of city planning. 

— The Capitol of the United States is one of our most beau¬ 
tiful cities, and this, every one agrees, is largely due to the 
fact that it was carefully planned. 

The city of Washington has two chief centers: first, the 
Capitol building, and second the President’s mansion, or 
White House. Each of these two centers is a hub from 
which streets and avenues radiate in all directions. It is 
easy to get from one part of Washington to another, and 
the city is also very beautiful. There are numerous foun- 


go 


CIVICS AT WORK 


tains, monuments, and parks, to say nothing of tastefully 
planned dwellings, grounds, and public buildings. 

131. What shall we do if our ideal is impossible? — 
Washington, D. C., is a kind of ideal city, because it was 
encouraged to grow in accordance with a definite plan. 
This is certainly the best way for a city to come into exist¬ 
ence, and so we may say that the ideal way to make our 

communities beauti¬ 
ful would be to tear 
them apart and build 
them over. 

But we cannot do 
this. It would cause 
too much trouble, 
and it would be too 
costly. Imagine the 
expense of taking 
apart such cities as 
New York, Chicago, 
St. Louis, or Boston, 
and then rebuilding 
them in accordance 
with an ideal plan. 
Even in the case of a community of ten or twenty thou¬ 
sand population this procedure would be unwise. 

Then what are we to do? We must do what we can. 
In other words, we must attack our problem piecemeal, 
destroying ugliness wherever possible, and watching for 
opportunities to beautify our community. 

132. How we can help to destroy ugliness. Let us 
notice some of the ways in which a community can be made 
less ugly. 












YOU ARE TRAINED 


91 


For one thing, we can remove all unsightly billboards 
from the streets and highways. Advertisements need not 
disfigure a neighborhood. 

In many communities the streets are marred by a forest 
of telephone, telegraph, and electric light poles, with an 
accompanying network of wires. All this is unnecessary, 
because wires can be placed underground. 

Rubbish can be kept out of sight. Dump heaps ought 
not to be in plain view. Vacant lots are easily cleaned 
up. Weeds and tin cans need not clutter up public 
places. 

Unattractive buildings can be repaired and painted. 
Sometimes they can easily be removed, and perhaps re¬ 
placed by attractive structures. 

133. We ought to preserve the beauties of Nature. — 
Another way of helping is to preserve the beauties with 
which Nature has showered us. 

If there is a river, or a pond, or even a small stream in 
your community it ought to be guarded. The law should 
be called upon to keep the water clean and the banks free 
from rubbish and ramshackle buildings. 

Trees are valuable and should be preserved. What is 
finer than a row of splendid shade trees, or a wooded stretch 
which has been turned into a park for the enjoyment of the 
public! The larger a community grows the more grateful 
its people will be for whatever it provides in the way of 
trees, flowers, grass, and natural scenery. 

An abundance of bird life adds a great deal to the attrac¬ 
tiveness of a neighborhood, therefore we should protect 
our feathered friends. Be proud of the birds which fre¬ 
quent your community. Get acquainted with them, and 
be good to them. 


92 


CIVICS AT WORK 


134. Where there is a choice, why not favor beauty ? — 

Changes are always going on in the community, and where 
there is a change there is often a choice. For example, 
every time an old building is replaced by a new one the 
owners have more or less choice as to what sort of a 
structure the new building shall be. 

In such cases as these, the most attractive building ought 
to be given consideration. When tenements are replaced, 
why not make the new building as handsome as possible? 
Or if your parents are planning a garage, why should it not 
be in good taste instead of bad taste ? Likewise, if a bridge 
is being replaced, the members of the community ought to 
suggest that the new structure be beautiful as well as use¬ 
ful. As for advertisements, many of these can be changed 
so as to be pleasing to the eye, and at the same time retain 
their force and appeal. 

135. Signs of improvement. — Our communities are 
steadily becoming more attractive. We are passing more 
and more laws which aim to preserve natural beauties. The 
membership of civic improvement leagues is increasing. 
The cause of beauty is being promoted by artists, writers, 
editors, and philanthropists. Legislatures are growing in¬ 
terested in the problem. The public at large is develop¬ 
ing a sentiment in favor of attractive surroundings. 

Improvements are to be seen on every side. Our streets 
are in better shape than they were ten or twenty years ago. 
Beautiful public buildings are more and more plentiful. 
Parks are being set aside for public use. Bird life is being 
protected. The smoke evil has been attacked by new 
methods of burning coal, and also by smoke-consuming 
devices. Communities are competing with one another 
in the effort to be more attractive than their neighbors. 


YOU ARE TRAINED 


93 


136. Beauty is a means of training. — Look about you 
and see all that your community is doing to provide you 
with attractive surroundings. Notice the streets. By 
evening they may be dirty, but in our cities while you sleep 
certain men will go about with brushes and brooms and 
wagons, cleaning the streets. The community pays these 



The people of this village are surrounded by natural beauty. Let us hope they 
appreciate it. 

men, just as it has paid for the public library, and the 
parks and drinking fountains that you enjoy. 

The community is setting you an example in all this. It 
is using beauty to teach you the advantages of cleanliness, 
order, and harmonious arrangement. The beauties of your 
home neighborhood are an invitation to you to cooperate 
in making your surroundings more attractive. The com¬ 
munity wants to see if you will use the paper baskets and 
rubbish cans which it provides, or whether you will litter 
the streets with what you do not want. Do you appreciate 







CIVICS AT WORK 


94 

attractive surroundings? Do you intend to help advance 
the cause of beauty ? These are the two questions which 
the community is waiting for you to answer. 

137. Do not be afraid to show that you appreciate beauty. 
— It is probably true that we all appreciate beautiful 
things, yet the native American sometimes finds it hard to 
let others see that he loves beauty. Some of us, especially 
men and boys, are likely to think that it is weak and silly 
to admire pretty clothes, or a well-kept lawn. We are 
a little ashamed to favor what is beautiful. 

This is all wrong, of course. It is the person who does 
not appreciate beauty who ought to be ashamed, for who¬ 
ever is blind to lovely things is incapable of sharing in many 
of the finest fruits of civilization. Do not be afraid to 
express your love of what is beautiful. Be proud that you 
are sensitive to harmonious colors and beauty of line and 
form. Love of beauty is a strong fine trait which is capable 
of enriching and ennobling your life. 

138. How the attractiveness of your community depends 
upon you. — Perhaps you have never thought of it, but 
what you do or fail to do has a distinct influence upon the 
appearance of your community. 

For instance, if you are careless you will probably drop 
bits of paper in public places, or trample down lawns, or 
injure young trees when you are playing. You may be so 
thoughtless as to mark up public buildings with pencil or 
chalk. In these and numerous other ways you may help 
to make your community untidy and unattractive. 

Yet if you are willing to take a little trouble, you can 
avoid all this. Furthermore, you can actually help to 
improve the appearance of your community. You can 
protect birds, and repair trees which have been injured in 


YOU ARE TRAINED 


95 


storms. In your spare time you can help make your lawn 
attractive. Again, you can lend a hand when clean-up 
week comes around. Last, but certainly not least, you 
can encourage your friends and playmates to help along 
with all this good work. 

Something for You to Do 

1. Look back over the preceding chapter. What is the central idea 

or theme which it has developed ? Answer this question briefly 
and in your own words. 

2. What have railroads done to disfigure your community? Ex¬ 

plain clearly. 

3. To what extent are signboards a blemish upon your community? 

4 . Make a brief study of the history of your community, in order 

to discover what natural beauties have been destroyed since 
the earliest settlers arrived. 

5. Suppose you were called upon to defend the proposal to spend 

public money for an art gallery. What would you say ? 

6. Is there a city planning association or league in your community ? 

If so, find out what it is doing to improve the community. 

7. How are telephone, telegraph, and electric light wires disposed 

of in your community ? 

8. To what extent is bird life protected in your community? 

9. What provision does your community make toward repairing 

and otherwise caring for injured trees? 

10. What is landscape gardening? How would you like to follow 

this work as a profession ? 

11. Describe the methods by means of which the streets in your 

community are kept clean. 

12. What could be done toward beautifying vacant lots in your com¬ 

munity ? 

13. To what extent do the children in your community mark up side¬ 

walks, walls, or public buildings ? What is the remedy for this ? 

14 . What is meant by “ clean-up week,” and what are its advantages ? 

15. How may the spirit of rivalry be used to bring about improve¬ 

ments in a community ? 


96 CIVICS AT WORK 

16. Make a list of the ways in which you think the appearance of 

your community could be still further improved. 

17. Suppose that a man were asked to clean up his filthy yard, and he 

replied that he had a right to let his premises get as untidy as he 
liked. What would be a proper answer to his statement ? 

18. Discuss the advantages of organizing a school club for the pur¬ 

pose of improving the appearance of your school grounds. 


C. CHILDHOOD COMES TO AN END 


CHAPTER X 

THE WORLD IS WAITING FOR YOU 

139. When you were a baby you were helpless. — The 

preceding chapters have outlined the various ways in which 
young people are protected and trained. In this chapter 
we are going to study childhood itself. Let us begin by 
noticing that human infants are at first quite helpless. 

Take yourself, for example. Of course you cannot 
remember how things were when you were only a few 
months old, but if you ask your mother about it you will 
probably be told that at this age you were practically help¬ 
less. When you were a small baby you could gurgle and 
cry and squirm, but beyond this you could do very little. 
You had to be fed and you had to be dressed. In case you 
felt sick or were in pain you were unable to explain what 
the trouble was, and if your mother or the doctor could not 
find out for themselves you had to endure your ailment. 
In short, you were helpless. 

140. Then you grew and grew. — This helplessness did 
not last long. Week by week and month by month you 
grew stronger and more able to do things. You got so you 
could handle objects. You learned to creep, and then to 
walk and run and jump. The babbling of baby days gave 
way to plain satisfactory words. All the while you grew 
and grew, until your clothes seemed always to be getting 
small and tight. 


97 


9 8 


CIVICS AT WORK 


After a while you began to go to school, and then every¬ 
thing was like a wonderful dream. The world appeared 
larger. It astonished you with its strange sights and 
actions. You got interested in finding out about things. 
Games meant a great deal to you. You made friends with 
more and more children. Every day you learned some¬ 
thing new. All the while you were shooting up like a young 
sapling, outgrowing your clothes, studying and playing and 
talking and thinking. 

141. You have arrived at adolescence. — If you do not 

know the meaning of adolescence, you are like the man in a 
famous French play who discovered that he had been talk¬ 
ing prose all his life, without knowing it! Because you 
are now in adolescence. In other words, you are now in 
the process of developing from childhood into maturity. 
Human growth divides into a number of stages. The first 
stage is infancy, the second stage is childhood, and the 
third stage is adolescence. After adolescence is passed 
you will enter upon the fourth stage, called maturity. 

Adolescence, then, is that period of growth which lies 
between childhood and maturity. 

142. Why adolescence is important. — Adolescence 
means that a life is in the making, somewhat as a mass of 
boiling candy is in the making. For just as this candy has 
been carefully tended and stirred, so you have been cared 
for all through the years of childhood. Just as a pan of 
candy comes to a crisis in cooking, so adolescence is a time 
of crisis for you. 

Let us pursue this analogy a little further. A pan of 
candy is taken off the stove and given a last stirring before 
it is poured out to cool and harden. It is watched with 
anxiety during this last handling, for now is the time for 


THE WORLD IS WAITING FOR YOU 


99 


determining if it is to be a success or a failure. Once it is 
poured into its mold nothing can be done to improve it. 

This is somewhat the way things are with you. You are 
in the formative stage. You are being tended and stirred 
by your parents and your teachers and the community in 



general. You are being watched with anxiety, for once 
you are past the plastic age of adolescence your life will 
rapidly settle into the mold of maturity. After that it 
will be very difficult to make you over. 

143. Have you forgotten that childhood costs a great 
d ea l? _ p ause for a moment and try to imagine all that 
your childhood has cost. 

Think of all the money that has been spent on you. 




























IOO 


CIVICS AT WORK 


Think of the cost of all the food and clothing and shelter 
and medical attendance which you have received since 
babyhood. Think of the cost of educating you. Think 
of the money which has been spent to provide you with 
playgrounds and police protection and healthful surround¬ 
ings. 

Remember, also, that it has cost more than money to 
rear you. Imagine the time which your teachers have 
spent on you. Think of the trouble you have been to your 
mother and father. The loving care they have lavished on 
you cannot be measured in terms of money, nor can the 
thoughtfulness of the community in providing you with 
all the blessings of civilized life. 

144. The fact is you are in debt. — To sum up, your 
childhood has been a very costly affair. A fortune of 
money and love and thoughtful care has been expended on 
you. Notice, however, that this fortune has been expended, 
not by you but by other people. For years you have been 
accepting valuable goods and services, without making a 
suitable return. Therefore you are in debt. 

You need not be ashamed of this indebtedness. Every 
human being begins life as a debtor. It is natural, because 
all children need things which they are unable to supply for 
themselves. 

On the other hand, your pride and honor ought to compel 
you to acknowledge this debt. Furthermore, you should 
resolve to pay it off, so as to be able to stand before the 
world free and upright. 

145. How is this debt to be discharged ? — Although 
you are in debt for all that has been done for you, no direct 
repayment is expected of you. Of course you should repay 
your parents with love and care, and later on you must 


THE WORLD IS WAITING FOR YOU 


IOI 


make sure that they are not in need of the things that 
money will buy. In general, however, you will probably 
find that neither your parents nor any one else expects you 
to repay them directly. 

The payment which is expected of you is indirect. This 
means that you are expected to become a reliable and effi¬ 
cient member of the community. Later on we shall see 
in detail just what is meant by a reliable and efficient mem¬ 
ber of the community; here we must be content merely to 
know that if you do what the community expects of you 
you will be paying off your debt. Not only your teachers 
but your parents and every one else will probably be satis¬ 
fied with this form of payment. 

146. Why a great deal is expected of you now. — You 
are probably aware that the older you grow the more is 
expected of you. Your parents expect better conduct of 
you, your teachers expect you to show greater intelligence 
and skill, and the community expects you to do more toward 
helping with such problems as health, accidents, and at¬ 
tractive surroundings. 

Why is it that so much is expected of you now? 

The reason is that you are now much more capable than 
you were when you were younger. You are standing at 
the beginning of adolescence, which is another way of say¬ 
ing that your powers are rapidly expanding. Let us take 
the next few paragraphs to explain this. 

147. Adolescence means greater power to think. — In a 
way we are able to think even when we are babies, though 
of course we cannot solve many of the problems which con¬ 
front us. As we grow older, however, our mental powers 
strengthen, until by the time we reach adolescence we are 
capable of understanding many things which we used to 


102 


CIVICS AT WORK 


find puzzling. In school, for example, we attack and solve 
all sorts of difficult questions. We find the world less con¬ 
fusing. Little by little we penetrate to new meanings. 
Compared to younger children we are often quite thought¬ 
ful. We enjoy talking to older people, and we are pleased 
to notice that they appear to consider our ideas and 
observations and opinions of some value. 

All this is because adolescence has 
brought us greater power to think. 

148. Adolescence also brings new 
ambition. — As we grow up we find our 
view of the world widening. It is 
like climbing a tree, the further we 
climb the more we see. Our gaze 
penetrates to new horizons, 
and as we look we feel de¬ 
sire growing within us. We 
are tremendously impressed 
by the lives of such 
persons as Caesar, Joan 
of Arc, Napoleon, 
Washington, and Lin¬ 
coln. Sometimes we 
become hero worship¬ 
pers and spend long 
hours dreaming of how we shall equal and even excel the 
deeds of which we have read. 

Many of these ambitions of ours are too precious to share 
with even our best friends. We keep them to ourselves, 
safe for our private enjoyment and wonder. They make 
us very happy. We long for these dreams to come true, 
and we believe that some day they will. 



The small child is interested in the pictures, but 
the adolescent boy is intent upon the serious train 
of thought which the words of the book have 
aroused in him. 

















THE WORLD IS WAITING FOR YOU 


103 


149. New energy floods in upon us. —Yet there is more 
to our adolescent ambition than mere wish and desire. We 
may long to achieve great deeds, but at the same time we 
are actually more capable of doing them. We are older and 
stronger, and our thinking powers have improved. Besides, 
adolescence is bringing us a great new flood of energy. 

Where this energy comes from we do not know. We 
only accept it and use it. It comes in a never-ending flow, 
until it seems that we could never exhaust our powers. We 
play and run about and sit up late studying, and still our 
eyes are clear and our step firm. An abundance of vitality 
and good spirits appears in us. We fairly bubble with 
life. Endurance, strength, skill, power, — all these gifts 
are ours. We feel as if we could accomplish anything. 
Nothing is too hard, if only it will help us achieve our 
ambition. 

150. We are likely to become independent. — In addi¬ 
tion to greater thinking power, and ambition, and energy, 
the period of adolescence brings a certain amount of rest¬ 
lessness. Life seems to be moving too slowly. A great 
many things fret us, for example, discipline and restraint. 
Older people so often make us impatient that we tend to 
make our own plans, without consulting them. 

Sometimes we overdo this. We may sulk when our ideas 
are not approved by our parents. Perhaps we grow stubborn 
and headstrong, and end up by refusing to take advice. In 
such cases we are generally annoyed to find older people so 
backward in their views, and at the same time we are greatly 
pleased that we ourselves are so clever. In short, we may go 
to such extremes that our parents tell us, half sadly, half in 
fun, that we know more at this age than we shall ever know 
again! 


104 


CIVICS AT WORK 


151. We are often confused. — In spite of all this self- 
confidence, however, adolescence brings us a great deal of 
confusion. Everything is so uncertain. Our life resembles 
a road: what we have passed over is clear enough, but as 
to what lies ahead we are not at all sure. We are growing 
and developing so rapidly that it is hard to know just what 

we really are. There 
are conflicts within 
us. We pass from 
one mood to another, 
often without an ap¬ 
parent reason. One 
day we are full of 
courage, and the next 
we may be plunged 
into despair. 

At such times our 
future seems very 
much troubled. We 
want to do some¬ 
thing, but what ? 
Sometimes we feel 
that we want to leave 
school, but when we think it over we are not so sure. Our 
goal has a way of whisking about that is very baffling. We 
are in need of advice, yet when we listen to our older friends 
we are often in doubt as to the value of what they are 
saying. It is all very discouraging, and something of an 
annoyance besides. 

152. We are drifting off toward a new mooring. — A 

mooring is that which serves to confine a vessel to a definite 
place, as, for example, an anchor or a cable. A vessel has a 



Trying to decide what they will do after they leave 
school. 











THE WORLD IS WAITING FOR YOU 


105 

mooring, but a person may likewise have a mooring. In 
your case, for example, all the ties of childhood have here¬ 
tofore acted as your mooring. Your home, your school, 
your playmates, — all these things have helped to confine 
you to your childhood mooring. 

But now that you are entering the period of adolescence, 
these ties are beginning to slacken. You are still in school, 
of course, and your home will always be dear to you. Nev¬ 
ertheless you are growing up. This means that you will 
soon leave school. A few years and you will be out in the 
world for yourself. Perhaps you will still be living at home, 
perhaps you will be in another city, working or continuing 
your education. All these changes are facing you. You 
are even now preparing for them. In other words, you are 
drifting off toward a new mooring. 

153. Whither bound ? — Now all this is perfectly natural 
and proper. Every normal human being outgrows child¬ 
hood. Little, by little he begins to think for himself, and 
to plan for his own life. Finally he sets out to develop his 
own ideas and ambitions. Your father did this, and your 
mother and your various teachers likewise. Now you are 
about to follow in their steps by undertaking to find a moor¬ 
ing which shall satisfy you in the years to come. 

Although this is perfectly natural and proper, it is also 
dangerous. Little by little you are drifting away from 
familiar things — toward what ? You are going somewhere, 
but just what is your destination? What does the future 
hold for you ? In what direction are you moving ? 

154. There is one thing of which you can be certain. — 
Your future is uncertain, yet you can be sure of at least one 
thing. This is that you will eventually be busy at some sort 
of useful work. Every normal boy is preparing to earn his 


io6 


CIVICS AT WORK 


own living. As for our girls, it is coming to pass that they 
are no longer content to idle about home after they leave 
school. Even though they do not need the money, they 
want to do some sort of useful labor. Most boys and girls, 
therefore, are looking forward to a job when they are 
through school. 

This fact is of the greatest importance, because it enables 
you to steer toward a definite goal. Your future may seem 
vague, but if you will confine your attention to discovering 
what your life job is going to be, your confusion will tend to 
clear up. Once you have found the right job for yourself, 
everything will seem steadier and more clear. 

155. A short review of what has gone before. — This 
chapter concludes Part I of our text, and so we may well 
pause to summarize the central theme of our discussion. 

We have seen that you are fortunate. In addition to 
being cared for by your parents, you receive numerous bene¬ 
fits from the community. The community protects you 
against foul play, accident, disease, and vice. The com¬ 
munity also trains you, as we have noticed in detail in the 
preceding four chapters. 

Meantime you are growing up. Your powers are increas¬ 
ing, your ambitions widening. The world is waiting for you. 
It is a busy world, and if you are to succeed in it you must 
first of all understand it, and then find your proper place in it. 

This is why Part II of this text discusses the world of work 
and its relation to you. 

Something for You to Do 

1. What three important points are brought out in Section 155? 

2. Do you think “adolescence” is an unnecessarily hard word? 

Can you think of an easier word which means the same thing? 


THE WORLD IS WAITING FOR YOU 107 

3. Draw up a rough estimate of what it has cost in money to clothe 

and feed you from birth until the present time. 

4. Suppose you were asked to discover the money cost of your edu¬ 

cation up to the present time. How would you go about this 
problem ? 

5. Is it possible to put a money value on such things as love and 

affectionate care? Explain. 

6. We sometimes hear old people say that it has proved to be “worth 

while” to rear and educate their children. What is meant by 
“worth while” as used here? 

7. Give three examples to show that the older you grow the more 

is expected of you. 

8. Draw upon your own experience to illustrate the statement that 

“adolescence means greater power to think.” 

9. What is “day dreaming”? Should it be discouraged? Explain. 

10. Discuss the statement that “every one is a hero worshiper to 

some extent.” 

11. It is sometimes said that the time to read noble and inspiring 

literature is when we are young. Do you agree? Give your 
reasons. 

12. Compare the energy of a mature man with the energy of an 

adolescent boy. What conclusions do you draw from this ? 

13. Can you recall any childish ambitions which you have since 

discarded? Do you think you will ever discard any of your 
present ambitions? Explain. 

14. Discuss the statement that “it is perfectly natural for every one 

to want to paddle his own canoe.” 

15. Why is it impossible to know what we shall be doing a year or 

even six months from now ? 

16. How much thought have you given to the question of your life 

work? 

17. Every mature person ought to be able to earn his own living, 

whether he is rich or poor. Why ? 

18. Name three ways in which a job may act as a steadying influence 

in our lives. 


PART II —THE WORLD OF WORK 


A. THE MEANING OF WORK 

CHAPTER XI 

WHY WE WORK 

156. What is the difference between play and work? — 

Play may be defined as activity which is engaged in for the 
sake of the pleasure it brings. Thus when we romp or chase 
one another about in a game of tag we are ordinarily enjoy¬ 
ing ourselves. We are exerting ourselves because it is a 
pleasure, and when this play is no longer enjoyable we 
generally stop. 

Work, on the other hand, may be defined as activity 
which is engaged in chiefly for the sake of achieving an end. 
Work is often pleasant; nevertheless, we do not work 
merely because of the enjoyment which we may derive from 
this activity. We work primarily to get something done, 
as, for example, to finish a roof which we are shingling, or to 
get through mowing a lawn so that we will be paid for it. 
This is why we generally keep on working even though we 
are not really enjoying our task. 

157. There are two classes of work. — The two classes 
of work are physical and mental. 

Physical work is work which makes a large use of mus¬ 
cular energy. A man who is sawing wood is doing physical 
108 


WHY WE WORK 


109 

work. People who dig ditches or lift boxes or carry heavy 
bundles are also doing physical work. 

Mental work is different. Instead of emphasizing physi¬ 
cal strength it emphasizes mental power. An accountant 
is a mental worker. So are teachers, architects, clergymen, 
lawyers, authors, and journalists. All of these people get 
their work done as 
the result of mental 
labor, rather than by 
means of muscular 
exertion. 

158. A great deal 
of work is both men¬ 
tal and physical. — 

There are many 
kinds of work, how¬ 
ever, which cannot 
be classed as either 
purely physical or 
purely mental. This 
is because they are 
combinations of both. 

For instance, a 
plumber does physi- This man ’ s work is both physical and mentaL 
cal work when he repairs a broken water pipe 3 but he also 
performs mental work in planning and deciding just how to 
accomplish this task. Likewise, a carpenter does physical 
work when he builds a house, yet he must constantly be 
measuring and scheming and calculating as he goes along, 
and this of course is mental work. 

In a similar way, a great many mental workers also per¬ 
form physical tasks. A clerk works mentally when he 



















no 


CIVICS AT WORK 


posts his books, but when he unpacks goods or sweeps out 
the store, he is doing physical work. Again, a nurse is using 
her mind when she plans how to care for her patient, but 
when she freshens his room, or wheels him out into the sun¬ 
shine, she is working physically. 

159. A few people do not work. — Before going any fur¬ 
ther, let us notice that some people do not work. 

Criminals at large are not thought of as working, because 
their efforts are directed toward unlawful ends. 

The idle rich do not work, but live on their money and 
waste their time and energy. It should be remembered, 
of course, that the idle rich are only a small proportion of 
our wealthy classes. 

Young children are generally kept from steady work, 
because childhood is a period of preparation for the labors of 
mature life. Children are sometimes called normal depend¬ 
ents, for the reason that it is natural and proper for them 
to depend upon their parents for a living. 

Abnormal dependents do not work for a living, but are 
supported either by kind-hearted individuals or by the 
community. By abnormal dependents we mean grown 
people who either will not or cannot support themselves. 
Aged paupers, some blind persons, and many feeble-minded 
individuals may be taken as examples of this class. 

160. Practically all normal adults work. — Do not con¬ 
clude that there is a numerous class of grown people depend¬ 
ent upon others for their living. Such is not the case. 
The number of criminals is small, the number of idle rich is 
small, and the number of abnormal dependents is small. 
Indeed, we may say that practically all normal adults work 
at some sort of useful task. 

Look about as you go to school in the morning and you 


WHY WE WORK 


III 


will see abundant evidence that we are a nation of workers. 
Notice the stores opening for business, and the people filing 
into offices and shops. Look at the smoke pouring up from 
busy mills and factories. Look at the automobiles carrying 
men about their tasks, and the great trucks hauling goods 
back and forth. There are untold numbers of men and 
older boys at work, to 
say nothing of the girls 
and women who labor, 
sometimes at home, 
sometimes in offices or 
stores or mills. 

161. The great rea¬ 
son for work. — The 
large majority of grown 
people work, but why ? 

The answer is that we 
cannot get the things 
we want unless we do 
work. 

For example, we 
want various grains, 
vegetables, and fruits, 
yet we cannot have them unless we cultivate the soil. We 
also want coal, iron, and lead; therefore we engage in 
mining. Often, however, we are not satisfied with the raw 
materials we take from the earth. We want grain turned 
into bread, and iron ore into numerous tools, and logs into 
furniture. All this, of course, requires work. 

Again, we often want to move things, as, for example, we 
want wool taken to a mill, or bricks brought from the kiln, 
or plows distributed to farmers. This also means work. 



!y7iH 


Why do you suppose these men work in this 
bakery? 































112 


CIVICS AT WORK 


162. How all this may affect an individual. — The argu¬ 
ment of the preceding section affects every one of us, as an 
example will show. 

Suppose that you are a dentist. You do your work in a 
city office; nevertheless, the food you eat was grown by a 
farmer. Various miners provided the ore from which your 
dental tools were made. The furniture in your office had 
to be manufactured and brought to you. In short, a great 
many people have helped to supply the things you use. 

All these people must be paid, otherwise they would not 
do the work which results in your securing such articles as 
food and tools. Therefore you pay for all these things. 
You pay by means of money. And where do you get this 
money ? You earn it at your dental work. You may be a 
dentist; yet one reason why you work is that such activities 
as farming, mining, and manufacturing require work of other 
people. Be sure that you thoroughly understand this 
important statement. 

163. We struggle to get what we want. — It is natural 
for all human beings to make efforts to get things which are 
considered desirable. The objects of our desire may be 
harmful or silly, yet if we think they are desirable we will 
generally strive to get possession of them. 

This struggle for the things we want begins in infancy 
and lasts into old age. At first we exert ourselves to get 
toys and other bright and attractive objects. When we 
get large enough to earn money we work for the sake of the 
books or skates or kodak which money will buy. Later on 
we labor to get the money necessary to buy an automobile 
or provide ourselves with a college education. 

Thus we are spurred on to work by the desire for things 
which we would like to have. 


WHY WE WORK 


ri 3 

164. Some desires return, even though they have been 
satisfied. — There are certain desires which return again 
and again, even though we repeatedly satisfy them. The 
desire for food is an example. We eat heartily at dinner, 
whereupon our desire for food is satisfied. Yet in a very 
short time we shall want to eat again. 

The same reasoning applies to clothing. We work in 
order to get the money to buy a suit of clothes, whereupon 
our desire for clothing 
may be satisfied. Yet 
within a few months, 
or possibly a year, our 
suit begins to look 
shabby, and then our 
desire for clothing re¬ 
turns. 

Part of our reason 
for working is therefore 
to satisfy the desire for 
such things as food and 
clothing. We know 
from experience that 
desires of this type 
can never be permanently satisfied, and thus a share of 
our work is in anticipation of their periodic return. 

165. Many of our desires are constantly being refined. 
— Another reason why we keep at work is that we are 
always refining our desires. As we become successful in 
life we begin to indulge ourselves. It may be that we are 
no longer satisfied with the plain inexpensive food of our 
earlier days. We demand a better quality of food, and 
more variety. Likewise we refine our desire for clothing 




CIVICS AT WORK 


114 

by determining to have more and finer types of wearing 
apparel. Again, we may demand a nicer house, a better 
automobile, and more expensive furniture. 

All these things take money, and so we do our best to 
earn more and more. Perhaps we already have an income 
large enough to provide us with necessities, but since we 
are now ambitious for comforts and even luxuries , we work 
to enlarge our income. 

166. We also acquire new desires. — There is still an¬ 
other thing which helps to keep us working. This is our 
tendency to develop new desires. We get acquainted with 
people who have summer cottages, and after a while we 
think we, too, must have one. By and by the radio be¬ 
comes popular, and then it is not long before we are spending 
money for radio equipment. 

In addition to acquiring a desire for new goods , such as 
radios and summer cottages, we often acquire a desire for 
new services. We may get to where we object to taking care 
of our own car, in which case we perhaps hire a garage man 
to look after it. Again, we may employ a man to care for 
our furnace and see that the lawn is kept in order. Finally, 
we may employ servants to cook for us, and wait on us, and 
otherwise serve us. 

167. Some people work because work keeps them in 
good health. — Probably you will some day be surprised 
to discover that work is a means of keeping in good health 
and spirits. Of course work is often fatiguing, and it is 
sometimes dangerous to health; on the other hand, a nor¬ 
mal amount of work at a safe occupation can do much to 
keep you fit. Our life is like a river : as long as a current 
of work flows through it we are kept bright and clean, but 
when there is no such current we turn sluggish and dull. 


WHY WE WORK 


“5 

A great many older people have discovered this impor¬ 
tant fact, and so they keep on working long after they have 
become rich. Experience has taught them that they feel 
better when they work. They need the exercise and the 
effort which work offers, and when they retire from their 
business it sometimes happens that such people actually 
sicken and die from lack of something to do. 

168. Love of knowledge and skill keeps many people 
at work. — A great many people work chiefly because they 
enjoy the knowledge and skill which are involved in their 
occupation. These people often have wealth, or at least 
enough to live on; nevertheless, they work regularly and 
with devotion. 

For instance, a chemist or a biologist may labor long 
hours chiefly because of the fascination of exploring the 
mysteries of life. An artist may paint because of the 
joy of creating a beautiful or interesting picture. Great 
writers of fiction are generally devoted to their work long 
after they have earned enough to support them in comfort. 
Pianists, actors, and even circus performers frequently 
work because they love to express their particular skill and 
ability. 

169. Some people work primarily to serve humanity. — 

Finally, we must notice that a number of people work chiefly 
for the sake of benefiting the world. There are, for 
example, physicians who devote most of their time and 
skill to finding methods of combating such horrible diseases 
as cancer. Other scientists labor to devise ways of de¬ 
stroying mosquitoes and other insect pests. In the poorer 
districts of our large cities we find a great many “ social 
workers ” who are devoting themselves to the problems 
of the poor and afflicted. Again, there are scholars and 


n6 


CIVICS AT WORK 


statesmen who are working to discover some means of pro¬ 
tecting humanity against war. 

This does not exhaust the list of persons who work pri¬ 
marily for others, but enough has been said to indicate that 
service to humanity is an important spur to work. Of 
course, people who must earn their own living cannot devote 
much of their time to unpaid service. On the other hand, 
persons who are financially in comfortable circumstances 
are able to devote a great deal of their time to social service. 
Fortunately, this is precisely what many of our well-to-do 
citizens are doing. They are working for humanity. 

170. Civilization is the result of desire plus work. — 
Most authorities agree that the ordinary savage is not capa¬ 
ble of developing a high civilization. The reason for this 
is that the savage has very few desires. He is satisfied with 
a scant supply of coarse food, a rude shelter and crude cloth¬ 
ing, and a few tools and weapons. Thus he will not ordi¬ 
narily work for the things which go to make up civilization. 

Contrast this attitude with the attitude of the racial 
stock to which we belong. We have inherited a restless, 
inquisitive, unsatisfied disposition, hence we have reached 
out beyond such necessities as plain food, rude clothing, and 
bare shelter. We have invented a thousand ways of 
improving our living. We have explored the mysteries of 
the world in the effort to satisfy our desires. In short, we 
have created a high and splendid civilization. 

Something for You to Do 

1. Summarize the important points which have been brought out in 

the preceding chapter. Use your own words, and be brief. 

2. Is it always easy to distinguish between work and play? What 

about professional baseball, for example? 


WHY WE WORK 


117 

3. It often happens that a child will gladly exhaust himself at play, 

but when he is asked to perform a light task, such as mowing 
the lawn, he complains that it tires him. Explain this. 

4. Name three occupations which seem to you to involve a great 

deal of enjoyment. Are these occupations always pleasant? 
Explain. 

5. Which is the more important to the community, physical work 

or mental work ? Give reasons for your answer. 

6. Which is the more fatiguing, physical work or mental work? 

Why? 

7. In what way does your community care for paupers? 

8. In what way does your community care for the blind ? 

9. In what way does your community care for the feeble-minded? 

10. In what way does your community care for the insane? 

11. Are there any occupations which have not yet been “invaded” 

by girls and women ? Explain. 

12. Make a list of the ways in which you would suffer if your father 

were to stop work for a year. 

13. Draw upon your own experience for illustrations of the statement 

that we work to get money to buy the things we want. 

14. Define the words “necessity,” “comfort,” and “luxury.” 

15. Suppose the airplane becomes a popular means of travel. Name 

three ways in which this may affect our work. 

16. Is it wise to buy things on the instalment plan? 

17. What would you do if you had a million dollars? 


CHAPTER XII 


OUR LABOR IS DIVIDED UP 

171. Let us go back two hundred years. — In this and 
the two following chapters we are going to study the prin¬ 
ciples which underlie our industrial life. Let us begin by 
turning back to the origins of modern business, two hundred 
years ago. 

Two hundred years! That is a long time, and if we 
examine the way people lived two centuries ago that age 
will appear even more distant. Remember that the Ameri¬ 
cans of that time were a mere handful of colonists scattered 
along the Atlantic coast. Their life was very crude. They 
had no efficient engines or machines. They had only hand 
tools, such as saws, hammers, axes, chisels, knives, files, 
and small drills. Most of those early Americans were 
therefore hand workmen, and almost every one of them 
had to toil long hours a day for the barest necessities of life. 

172. How the people divided up their labor. — A great 
deal of the work or labor of colonial times was divided up 
among various persons. 

For instance, the average colonial family divided up its 
work so that each member had one or more definite tasks. 
The father and his sons tilled the soil, and in their spare 
time made tools and implements. The mother cooked and 
kept house and made clothing. In case there were grown 
daughters, these helped their mother by spinning or weav¬ 
ing, or making candles. 

118 


OUR LABOR IS DIVIDED UP 119 

There was also some division of labor among persons 
belonging to different families. For example, a man was 
sometimes so clever at making shoes that he gave most of 
his time to this, form of work. When he had made more 
shoes than his own family could use he traded with his 
neighbors, exchanging his extra shoes for food or tools, or 
perhaps selling them for money. Likewise, this man might 



Our colonial ancestors worked hard, but their methods were crude. 


have a neighbor who specialized in making hats, and another 
neighbor who devoted most of his time to manufacturing 
medicines out of herbs. In this manner the work of the 
community tended to be divided up among various people. 

173. Yet something was lacking. — Of course our ances¬ 
tors were wise enough to know that many advantages re¬ 
sulted from the habit of dividing up their labor. They 
knew, for example, that when heavy work was divided among 
a number of people this work was easier to accomplish. 





























120 


CIVICS AT WORK 


Again, they knew that by dividing up labor they could turn 
a complicated task into a number of simpler operations. 

Nevertheless, the Americans of two hundred years ago 
did not know how to get the most out of the idea of dividing 
up labor. They did the best they could, but in spite of 
their efforts they had to work very hard in return for what 
we would call a very poor living. The point is that some- 



A hand shovel and a steam shovel illustrate the difference between 
a tool and a machine. 


thing was lacking in their industrial methods. What was 
it that was lacking ? The machine. 

174. What is a machine ? — Do not confuse the terms 
“ tool ” and “ machine.” They are not the same. 

A tool is an implement which is intended for hand use 
only. A hammer is a tool. When you use a hammer you 
hold it in your hand and apply it directly to the task which 
it is to perform. Your own muscular energy supplies the 
power which moves this tool. 











OUR LABOR IS DIVIDED UP 


I 21 


A machine, on the other hand, is much more complicated 
than a tool. When we speak of a machine we mean a more 
or less complex combination of parts, such as wheels, levers, 
and movable arrangements. All of these parts are put 
together in such fashion as to perform a task. Some 
machines, such as typewriters, are operated by hand, but 
the work accomplished by a machine is never the direct 
result of human energy. In typewriting, for example, you 
strike the keys and it is only after a series of bars and levers 
have been thus set in motion that letters are actually pro¬ 
duced on paper. 

But most of our important machines are not even indi¬ 
rectly operated by hand — they are run by “ power.” 

175. The meaning of “ power.” — The word power 
refers to ability or force or energy. There are various 
sources of power. For example, man has power, and when 
he handles tools he is making use of his power. Likewise a 
horse has power. Running water, steam, and electricity 
are further sources of power. 

Of all these sources of industrial power, man is the least 
important. He is strong mentally, but physically he is 
weak. Nor is horse power of great importance. Running 
water, steam, and electricity are the three great sources 
of power, and for this reason we generally mean one of 
these three when we speak of machinery being run by 
power. 

176. How power was made to run machines. — The 

story of the machine is the story of man’s conquest of 
power. In England, for example, the people of two hundred 
years ago were beginning to make machinery which could 
be run by some form of power. They pondered over the 
fact that running water exerts an enormous amount of 


122 


CIVICS AT WORK 


strength, and so they arranged their machines in such a 
way as to be run by the current of streams and rivers. 

A little later the English people began to make use of 
steam. They realized that when water is heated to the boil¬ 
ing point it changes into steam. This steam tends to 
expand, and in expanding it exerts pressure. James Watt 
and other inventors worked at the problem of steam until 
at last they found a way of getting steam to push pistons and 
turn wheels. The result of their labors is what is known 
as the steam engine. 

177. A good deal of work was then divided between men 
and machines. — The people of England now had what we 
may call “ power machinery,” which means that they had 
machines which were operated by such forms of natural 
power as running water and expanding steam. 

Little by little these machines were put to work. They 
were made to spin yarn and weave cloth. New and differ¬ 
ent types of machinery were invented. Machines were 
finally used to. pump water and draw railway cars and pro¬ 
pel boats and perform numerous other tasks. 

In short, people began to let the machine do a good deal 
of their work. The machine became a kind of Man Fri¬ 
day. People kept inventing machines which could perform 
tasks formerly done by man alone, so that human workmen 
would be free for other types of work. 

178. Thus industry was revolutionized. — The idea of 
power machinery originated in England during the second 
half of the eighteenth century. The fame of the new 
machines spread abroad, and it was not many years before 
they were being copied and even improved upon in other 
countries. For example, power machinery of various 
kinds was being used in the United States before 1815. 


OUR LABOR IS DIVIDED UP 


I2 3 


American industry made rapid progress after that date. 
The number of machines grew and grew. New types of 
machinery appeared. More kinds of work were handed 
over to the machine. A great many men left off with their 
hand tools and began to find employment as machine 
tenders. Little by little manufacturing and trade were 
re-arranged, so as to take advantage of the new methods of 



This farmer makes a gas engine pump water for his horse. 


work. Industry was actually revolutionized; indeed, the 
gradual change from hand to machine methods is known in 
history as the Industrial Revolution. 

Let us see how all this touches our life to-day. 

179. The division of labor enables us to do many things 
formerly impossible. — Notice, first of all, that our present- 
day methods enable us to accomplish tasks which would 
have baffled the people of two hundred years ago. We now 
have a host of wonderful machines, capable of performing 
all sorts of difficult work. Likewise we have a host of 














124 


CIVICS AT WORK 


specialized human workers, many of whom are experts in 
one particular kind of work. Marvelous tasks can be 
accomplished when these human workers make use of 
modern machinery. 

Take, for example, one of those great office buildings 
known as a “ skyscraper.” Such structures would be 
beyond the powers of our colonial ancestors, — but they 
are not beyond our abilities. In one of our large cities a 
skyscraper of forty stories was recently called for. What 
was the result? An army of two thousand people was 
collected — architects, engineers, contractors, laborers of 
many kinds. A multitude of machines was made use of, 
and in twelve months the structure was completed. 

180. The division of labor has made many tasks easier. 
— Our modern methods of work have also lightened a great 
many tasks. Let us take, as a single example, the manu¬ 
facture of wooden articles. Two hundred years ago such 
things as chairs and wooden bowls were laboriously carved 
or hacked out of logs, often by one man working alone and 
using the simplest of hand tools. 

Nowadays, however, a great many specialized workmen 
and a great many specialized machines may be used in a 
single wood-working establishment. Logs and planks and 
boards are quickly turned into wood products of every 
description. At every turn the workmen are helped by 
clever machines; indeed the workmen often appear merely 
to direct their machines to produce molding, flooring, chair 
rungs, or table legs. 

181. The division of labor enables us to do more. — 

The work of a great bakery illustrates this advantage. 
Each man has his particular work, and in this work he is 
assisted by one or more machines. A number of workmen 


OUR LABOR IS DIVIDED UP 


125 


measure the flour, sugar, yeast, and the other materials of 
bread-making. These ingredients are put into a machine, 
and this machine mixes them. Other workmen then dump 
the dough and set machines to chopping it into loaves. 
Finally, machinery carries these loaves to men whose task 
it is to tuck the bread into pans and place the pans in the 
oven. 

By such methods as these a surprisingly small number of 
people can produce as many as 100,000 loaves of bread in 



How does this freight train illustrate the advantages of the division of labor? 


a few hours. They are able to do this because of a minute 
division of labor, not only among men, and among ma¬ 
chines, but among men and machines. 

182. The division of labor often improves the quality of 
the product. — Our modern industrial methods have also 
enabled us to improve many of our manufactures. Com¬ 
pare, for example, the cloth made in a present-day textile 
mill with the cloth made by the Americans of two hundred 
years ago. In colonial times the average person wore cloth¬ 
ing made out of homespun, and while this cloth was durable 
and warm it was also of very coarse quality. With the 










126 


CIVICS AT WORK 


coming of modern methods of spinning and weaving, how¬ 
ever, the quality of cloth improved greatly. Fabrics of 
finer and finer texture were produced; designs became more 
delicate; new methods of combining silk and wool and 
other materials were developed. As a result, cloth is much 
superior to what it used to be. 

183. The division of labor helps to lower prices. — Again, 
it is worth noting that thousands of the articles we use to¬ 
day sell for a low price because they are produced by modern 
methods. 

Take, as an illustration, the textbook which you are now 
reading. If this book had been produced by the laborious 
methods in use two hundred years ago it might cost ten 
dollars a copy, or perhaps twenty or thirty or even a 
hundred dollars a copy. 

But this book was produced by modern methods. It was 
set up and electrotyped and printed by skilled specialists 
making use of wonderfully efficient machinery. Thousands 
of copies were printed in the space of a few days, and at 
such a low cost per copy that the publishers are able to sell 
the book for a reasonable price. 

184. Lastly, the division of labor enables you to find a 
suitable job. — The five preceding sections have illustrated 
an important truth, — namely, that the division of labor 
has increased our efficiency as a working people. In addi¬ 
tion, this division of labor helps you as an individual . It 
helps you by creating so many different kinds of jobs that 
you can be practically certain of finding some one type of 
work which will suit your particular liking and ability. 

The division of labor makes it possible for you to find a 
job which is really suited to you ! Here is one of the most 
wonderful facts in our industrial life, and one which you 


OUR LABOR IS DIVIDED UP 


127 


will do well to reflect upon. Bear it in mind, therefore, 
while we go on with our study of American business as it is 
to-day. 

Something for You to Do 

1. Summarize the important points which have been brought out 

in the preceding chapter. Use your own words, and be brief. 

2. The average American family of two hundred years ago had to 

grow or manufacture most of the articles which it needed. 
Why was it that people did not buy these articles at stores and 
shops ? 

3. Make a brief report to the class upon methods of transportation 

in early America. 

4. Make a brief study of the origin of the steam engine. 

5. In what way is water power inferior to steam as a method of 

operating machinery ? 

6. For what are the following names known in English industrial 

history: James Hargreaves, Richard Arkwright, Samuel 
Crompton, Edward Cartwright? (Consult an encyclopedia.) 

7. In what way has the railroad aided in the division of labor? 

8. Sometimes an entire community tends to specialize in one or 

more types of work, as, for example, Detroit specializes in 
automobile manufacture. To what extent does your com¬ 
munity specialize in one or more types of work? 

9. Select, for study, a building which is now being constructed in 

your community. How many different specialists are aiding 
in the construction of this building? 

10. Name five tasks which are rendered easier by the division of 

labor. 

11. What industries or business enterprises in your community illus¬ 

trate the fact that the division of labor enables us to accom¬ 
plish more? 

12. Visit an industrial establishment in your community, and make 

a note of the extent to which labor is divided among people 
and machines. 

13. Do you see any relation between fashion and the manufacture of 

clothing by machinery ? 


128 


CIVICS AT WORK 


14. The more copies of a book a publisher prints, the cheaper he can 

afford to sell that book. Why is this? 

15. Factory people work fewer hours per day than was the case a 

century ago. In what sense is this shorter working day due 
to the use of machinery? 

16. What are the disadvantages of the division of labor? 

17. In what occupations is the division of labor practiced very little 

or not at all ? Give the reason in each case. 

18. Collect a number of newspaper “want ads” in order to illustrate 

the extent of the division of labor in your community. 


CHAPTER XIII 


WE DEPEND UPON ONE ANOTHER 


185. The division of labor has turned us into specialists. 

— As we saw in the preceding chapter, the average man of 
two hundred years ago was industrially independent. He 
was a jack-of-all-trades, raising his own food, making his 
own tools, and wearing clothes 
manufactured within his own 
family circle. His family tended 
to be a unit, because 
it supplied its own 
needs, and depended 
upon outsiders very 
little or not at all. 

The division of 
labor has changed all 
this. The average 
man of to-day is not a 
jack-of-all-trades, but 
a specialist. He de¬ 
votes himself to one 
particular kind of work, as, for example, he is a plumber, a 
lawyer,. a clerk, or a janitor. Likewise, his neighbors are 
mechanics, doctors, insurance agents, teachers, accountants, 
or truck drivers, as the case may be. 

186. As a result we have lost our independence. — 
Notice what happens when people are specialists. They 

129 



As the result of the division of labor this man 
confines himself to upholstering chairs. 

















130 


CIVICS AT WORK 


tend to specialize in one particular kind of work, and as a 
consequence there are a great many things which they 
need or want, but which they do not produce for themselves. 
The plumber, for instance, devotes his time and energy to 
his trade, and relies upon other people for such things as 
food, clothing, tools, medical attention, and theatrical 
entertainment. The same is true of all the other members 
of the community, — namely, each person depends upon 
other people for most of the goods and services which he 
requires. 

Let us illustrate this dependence upon one another by 
following you through the experiences of an imaginary day. 

187. Getting up in the morning. — Even so simple a 
matter as getting up in the morning shows how we depend 
upon one another. 

We will suppose you are a heavy sleeper, and that in 
order to be sure of getting up in time you set the alarm 
clock at seven. You are depending upon this clock to 
awaken you, or, to be more exact, you are depending upon 
the people who manufactured the clock. Who made this 
alarm clock? You do not know. Perhaps a dozen or even 
a hundred specialists combined their skill in order to produce 
it. Probably these workmen live far from your home, 
and yet here you are, depending upon their product. If 
they have made a poor clock the alarm may fail to sound, 
and as a result you may over-sleep. 

All at once the alarm rings loudly. The clock manufac¬ 
turers are proving that they are to be trusted. You rise 
and dress. 

188. Preparing for breakfast. — If you will watch your 
mother get breakfast to-morrow you will see a number of 
ways in which people depend upon one another. 


WE DEPEND UPON ONE ANOTHER 131 

Suppose, for example, that your mother fills the teakettle 
with water. She does this as a matter of course, because 
she has learned to expect water to flow when she turns the 
faucet. In other words, she has learned to rely upon the 
employees of your city water department to keep the water 
system in order. 

Presently your mother asks you to get the milk. What 
do you do? You merely go to the back door and there is 
a bottle of milk on the 
step. Why is it there ? 

Because a neighbor ora 
farmer placed it there; 
or, if you live in a large 
city, the milk on your 
doorstep is there be¬ 
cause a far-away dairy¬ 
man and a truck driver 
and a shipping clerk 
and numerous other 
people have helped to 
provide your local milkman with his daily supply of milk. 

189. At the table. — You bring in the milk and your 
mother announces breakfast. You sit down. There are 
various kinds of food on the table. Where did it all come 
from ? From the grocer, you say. 

But that is not a searching answer. You may rely upon 
your grocer for food, but he in turn depends upon numerous 
other persons for each of the articles which he keeps for 
sale. For instance, the cereal you eat passes through the 
hands of the farmer, the miller, the baker, and other special¬ 
ists. The eggs you eat are handled by such persons as the 
poultryman, the truck driver, and your local grocer. For 



Do you suppose this boy ever stops to think 
where his coffee comes from? 


132 


CIVICS AT WORK 


sugar you depend upon people as far off as Louisiana or 
Colorado, and for coffee you rely upon people in Brazil. 

Altogether, you cannot eat breakfast without illustrating 
the fact that hundreds and even thousands of people 
depend upon one another in their daily work. 

190. Off to school. — As soon as breakfast is over you 
get up from the table, ready to start to school. Your 
father says something to you. You nod and hurry out. 

The school is some distance away, and so you rely upon 
the street-car to take you there. This morning you wait 
and wait, and the car does not come. What is wrong? 
You have no way of telling. A street-car system is exceed¬ 
ingly complicated. A dozen things may be delaying the 
car. Perhaps a switchman or a car-dispatcher or a motor- 
man or some other specialist has failed to do what is expected 
of him. At any rate the car does not come, and as a result 
the people who have been waiting with you are very much 
annoyed. They are laboring people who have depended 
upon this car, and now that something has happened to it 
they will be late to their work. 

As far as you are concerned, there is still time to walk to 
school, so you set out on foot. 

191. You come near failing to do what is expected of you. 
— Half way to school you pass a dye-works, a place which 
is strange to your playmates but familiar to you, because 
your father is a foreman there. For the past week, however, 
your father has been staying at home, too ill to work. As 
you walk by the dye-plant you remember that yesterday 
the owner of the place sent your father a note, asking if he 
could not come to work Thursday morning. Suddenly 
you recall what your father said to you just before you left 
the house this morning. He said that he wanted you to 


WE DEPEND UPON ONE ANOTHER 


133 


stop at the dye-plant and say that he would appear Thurs¬ 
day morning, as requested. 

Think of the trouble you might have caused if you had 
failed to deliver this message! The owner of the dye-plant 
might have taken it for granted that your father was not 
coming. A new foreman might have been hired. Your 
father might have lost his job,— all on your account. 

192. A forenoon of study and recitation. — Fortunately 
you remember in time to turn back and deliver your 
father’s message; and then you hurry on to school. 

All the forenoon you are studying and reciting, and prob¬ 
ably never suspecting that school illustrates the fact that 
people depend upon one another. Yet it does. Your 
teachers rely upon you to be on time, and you depend 
upon them to appear promptly. Your teachers expect 
you to have your lessons, and you have confidence in their 
explanations and directions. 

At the conclusion of each class you hear a bell or a gong. 
This is a signal for you to begin the work of the next period. 
There is a great movement to and fro, and then quiet again. 
Who is it that is responsible for this signal ? What if this 
bell or gong failed to sound promptly at the end of each 
period ? Imagine the delay and the confusion which would 
result! 

193. Time for lunch. — Let us suppose that when noon 
comes you find you have forgotten to bring your lunch. 
Your mother prepared it, but you neglected to bring it 
along. Now what are you going to do? You search 
your pockets and find nothing but street-car tickets. 
Then an idea occurs to you, — namely, to ask the fruit 
dealer across the street to trust you for some bananas and 
oranges. 


134 


CIVICS AT WORK 


You hurry across the street and into the fruit store. 
The proprietor lets you have what fruit you want. He 
consents to trust you ; nevertheless, he shrugs his shoulders 
as you turn to go out. Perhaps he is wondering why so 
many boys and girls are forgetful. Likely as not he is asking 
himself if you can be depended upon to pay him to-morrow. 

Meantime you are 
sauntering back to¬ 
ward school. 

194. Traffic is a 
lesson in depend¬ 
ence. — As soon as 
school is dismissed 
you set out for home. 
A friend draws up in 
his car and invites 
you to ride. You get 
in, and ride along 
with him, meeting and 
passing other auto¬ 
mobiles, and coming at length to a busy corner. There is 
a traffic policeman at this corner, and it is well for you 
that he is there, for without him a serious accident might 
result from the attempt of all these cars to get to their des¬ 
tinations. Even if there were no accident it would cer¬ 
tainly be some time before you got through the press of 
vehicles which you see all about. 

Fortunately, the traffic policeman is reliable. He is at 
his post, skilfully untangling the jam of automobiles. 
Now and then he signals, and since the waiting drivers can 
generally be depended upon to respond to these commands, 
it is only a few moments before you are on your way again. 



Ask yourself, next time you have lunch, how 
many people helped to make it possible for you to 
have the articles you are eating. 

















WE DEPEND UPON ONE ANOTHER 135 

This is because the traffic officer and each driver did what 
was expected of him. 

195. A pause at a foundry. — Your friend wants you 
to go home to supper with him, and as soon as you have 
agreed he turns off on a side street and stops at a foundry. 
His father works here and it is almost quitting time. 

You go inside with your friend, and while you stand there 
waiting you look about curiously. You see fiery furnaces 
and pots of molten 
metal and a great 
many molds, and in 
the midst of all this 
heat and machinery 
you observe the men 
who labor here. 

Each has his special 
task. Every one is 
expected to do his 
part, for if any one 
fails in his duty the 
result may be a 
ruined casting or a 
badly burned work¬ 
man. They all depend upon one another, every moment 
of the working day. 

Then the whistle blows. The men leave off with their 
tasks. Your friend’s father comes up with a smile, and 
asks you how you would like to work in a foundry. Perhaps 
you stammer and mumble, because you had never thought 
of that possibility. 

196. Then home again. — You have a pleasant supper at 
your friend’s house, and afterward you go home. After a 



A visit to a foundry might help a boy to decide 
whether or not he wanted to follow this kind of 
work. 













136 


CIVICS AT WORK 


short chat with the other members of your family you 
settle down to study your lessons for to-morrow. The 
visit with your friend has taken some of the time that you 
ordinarily give to your school work. You will have to 
study late. 

It is a warm night and you have opened the door. Your 
mother reminds you to close it when you go to bed, and then 
she retires. In a little while every one else has gone to bed, 
and still you sit there, alone with your work. You nod but 
rouse up sternly, determined to show that you can be 
depended upon to get your lessons. Then at last they are 
finished. You turn out the light and go sleepily to bed. 

197. The watcher in the night. — Wearily you undress, 
and in a moment you are asleep. The day is over. The 
house is wrapped in slumber. You did your lessons for 
to-morrow and you turned out the lights, but alas! you 
were so tired and sleepy that you forgot to close the outer 
door. It is standing ajar, open to the prowlers of the 
night. 

Yet no prowlers enter there, for not long after you have 
gone to bed a police officer comes along toward your house. 
This officer represents the protection which civilized life 
throws over your community. Your family and your friends 
and your neighbors go to bed and sleep in peace, because 
they can rely upon the policeman who patrols the streets-. 
Softly along the street he comes, glancing this way and that. 
He spies the door you left open. He pauses, and after a 
while comes and shuts it. Then he goes on. All through 
the night he makes his rounds, glancing at that door as he 
passes. 

So it is this agent of the community who closes your day 
and renders you safe for to-morrow. 


WE DEPEND UPON ONE ANOTHER 


137 


198. None of us liveth to himself. — Have you forgotten 
the slogan of this textbook? You will find it on the title 
page. None of us liveth to himself. These words are from 
Paul the Apostle, and although they were spoken almost 
two thousand years ago they still express a great truth. 

This saying of Paul is suitable to our textbook, for as 
we go on from chapter to chapter we are really proving th^t 
no man can live to himself. Take, for example, the experi¬ 
ences of the imaginary day which we have just completed. 
What do these experiences prove? They prove that the 
people of your community depend upon one another. 
There is none of us so wise or rich or powerful that he does 
not need what numerous other people have to give. We 
are somewhat like the parts of a great body, for we are 
highly specialized on the one hand, and on the other we 
depend upon the numerous specialists with whom we live 
and work. 

None of us liveth to himself. 

Something for You to Do 

1. Summarize the important points which have been brought out in 

the preceding chapter. Use your own words, and be brief. 

2. What are the advantages of being a jack-of-all-trades? What 

are the disadvantages ? 

3. Farming has shown less tendency toward a minute division of 

labor than has manufacturing. Why is this ? 

4. What is meant by saying that clock manufacturers “cannot 

afford” to put out a poor alarm clock? 

5. What is the source of the eggs you eat at home? What different 

people handle these eggs before they arrive at your house? 

6. Where does most of our coffee come from? How does it reach 

us? 

7. Where do we get our sugar? What processes is it put through 

before it is ready for table use? 


CIVICS AT WORK 


138 

8 . What would be the effect upon your community if all of its rail¬ 

roads were to stop hauling freight for two weeks? 

9 . In what different ways are the people of your community depend¬ 

ent upon the telephone? the telegraph? the postal system? 

10 . It might be that a prolonged strike among the coal miners of the 

United States would affect you. Explain this. 

11 . What are the disadvantages of having a school janitor who is 

unreliable ? 

12 . What are the advantages of being able to buy things on credit? 

What are the disadvantages ? 

13 . Show that motorists depend upon one another when they are 

traveling along the highway. 

14 . To what extent do the people of your community depend upon the 

daily newspaper? What use do you make of the newspaper? 

15 . In what way does a traffic officer depend upon pedestrians? 

16 . What different specialists help to keep the electric light system 

of your community in order ? 

17 . People sometimes get in the habit of being late. How can this 

habit be broken up? 

18 . Name five ways in which you depend upon your community. 


CHAPTER XIV 


HOW WE EXCHANGE THINGS 

199. Why it is necessary to exchange things. — In the 

preceding chapter we saw that the division of labor has 
made specialists of most of us. We likewise saw that we 
are dependent upon one another for numerous goods and 
services which we do not produce for ourselves. To go a 
step further, we may now notice that the division of labor 
also obliges us to exchange things. 

This ought to be easy to understand. Remember that 
the average man of to-day is a specialist who produces only 
one thing. He produces more of this than he himself can 
use, therefore he desires to dispose of his surplus . He also 
needs many things which he himself does not produce, 
therefore he desires to get possession of these things. 

It is in order to satisfy these two desires that the specialist 
takes part in what we call exchange. Let us see about this. 

200. We could exchange things by means of barter. — 
Barter is simply giving one thing for another. When boys 
“ trade ” knives they are engaging in barter, because they 
are giving one knife directly for the other. Barter, or 
“ trading/' is very common among children, so that at 
first thought it may seem to you an excellent way of 
exchanging all sorts of things. 

For instance, suppose that a man specializes in raising 
horses. He has more horses than he needs, and he would 
very much like to have a cow in order to furnish his family 


139 


140 


CIVICS AT WORK 


with milk. This being the case, what is to hinder him from 
trading one of his horses for one of his neighbor’s cows ? 

201. Barter is a crude method of exchange. — Of course 
it is possible to barter a horse for a cow; in fact, this is 
sometimes done. Nevertheless, barter is an unsatisfactory 
method of exchange. 

For example, the owner of the horse might not know 
of any one who had the kind of a cow he wanted. In 

this case, he might 
have to spend a 
great deal of time 
searching for a desir¬ 
able cow. 

Again, it might be 
that the owner of 
the cow did not want 
to part with her. 
Even if he were will¬ 
ing to part with her, 
he might not want 
a« horse. 



This farmer may barter his potatoes for flour or 
clothing, but it is more likely that he will sell them 
for money. 


Finally, an exchange might be impossible even though 
the owner of the horse and the owner of the cow wished to 
trade. Thus they might agree that the cow was worth a 
horse and a third, or a horse and a half, in which case the 
exchange would be blocked. 

202. Therefore money has been invented. — Money 
may be defined as anything which passes freely from hand 
to hand as a medium of exchange. 

History tells us that all sorts of things have been used 
as money, as, for example, bright shells, beads, tobacco, corn, 
and cattle. Nowadays, however, all civilized races use 

o 



HOW WE EXCHANGE THINGS 


141 

metals as the basis of their money system. Such metals 
as gold and silver are popular, because they are durable, 
because they can be made into various shapes, because 
they are easily recognized, and because coins made of 
such metals can easily be carried about in pockets and 
purses. 

The money which we Americans use is of two kinds. 
First, we have metallic money, consisting of gold, silver, 
nickel, and copper coins. Second, we have paper money, 
as, for example, bank notes, or “ bills.” A piece of paper 
money represents a stated amount of metallic money. 
Paper money is used for convenience, but if desired it may 
be exchanged for the amount of coin stamped upon it. 

203. How money helps us exchange things. — There 
is nothing mysterious about money. It is simply a tool 
or device which helps us in exchanging things. 

Take, for example, the case of the man who owns a horse 
but is in need of a cow. This man is acquainted with the 
advantages of money, therefore he sells his horse to any one 
who will give him a satisfactory amount of money for it. 
There will be no trouble in measuring the value of the horse 
in terms of money, because money is coined in amounts 
as low as one cent. This means that money can come 
within a cent of measuring the value of the horse. Further¬ 
more, the man who is selling the horse is willing to accept 
the money which is offered, because he knows that the 
government guarantees this money to be exactly what the 
figures and words stamped upon it say it is. 

Thus the owner of the horse sells his horse for money, 
and then he uses money to buy a cow. This is the same 
as saying that he has used money to bring about an exchange 
of horse for cow. 


142 


CIVICS AT WORK 


204. Why money plays a large part in our lives. — Now 

when we praise the Statue of Liberty we are generally 
admiring, not the statue itself, but the idea of liberty which 
that statue represents. Again, when we take off our hats 
to the American Flag we are showing our respect, not for 
a strip of colored cloth, but for the great nation which the 

flag represents. 

Likewise, we pay 
attention to money, 
not for its own sake, 
but because of what it 
represents. The man 
in our example was 
willing to sell his horse 
for money because he 
knew that money can 
be used to buy, not 
only a cow, but any 
one of a thousand 
other things. We use 
money to measure the 
value of all sorts of goods and services, and that is why 
we talk so much-about it. Remember, however, that we 
think highly of money only because of the desirable things 
which it has the power to bring us. 

205. The meaning of competition. — When two or more 
people engage in a struggle or contest for the same object 
they are said to compete. To put the same idea into dif¬ 
ferent words, these people are taking part in competition. 

Our industrial system is based upon the principle of 
competition. We are free to enter any lawful occupation 
we like, and to compete with our rivals for the prizes which 



All these people are competing with one another 
for a job. 


























HOW WE EXCHANGE THINGS 


143 


that occupation offers. When work is scarce a large num¬ 
ber of us may compete for the same job. If two different 
grocers cut prices on potatoes or bread, we may say that 
these grocers are engaged in unusually sharp competition 
with each other. 

In short, you will find competition everywhere you go. 
In one sense your very life is the story of competition, for 
you take part in contests upon the playground, you compete 
for honors in the classroom, and after you leave school you 
will engage in rivalry in the business of earning a living. 

206. Price acts as a kind of signal. — In some of our large 
cities the traffic is regulated by automatic signals. In a 
similar way business is regulated by the price of things. 

Thus, if bacon is very high in price, your mother will tend 
to buy as little of it as possible. If your father needs a 
pair of shoes, he will compare different brands of a similar 
quality, and other things being equal he will choose the 
least expensive shoe. Again, if you have schoolbooks to 
sell, you will perhaps ask several persons to make you an 
offer, and then accept the highest bid. 

In short, we generally bargain as wisely as we know how. 
If we have something to buy, we try to get it for the lowest 
possible price. If we have something to sell, we try to 
dispose of it at the highest possible price. It is price which 
determines most of our buying and selling, just as it is the 
automatic street signal which determines whether traffic 
shall “ go ” or “ stop." 

207. We buy and sell services much as we buy and sell 
goods. — We have been describing the manner in which 
goods are bought and sold. Thus we spoke of the purchase 
of bacon and shoes, and the sale of schoolbooks. 

Now services are bought and sold in somewhat the same 


144 


CIVICS AT WORK 


manner, and it is very important for you to understand 
that this is so. Notice that a doctor is a specialized work¬ 
man whose product is medical attention or service. He 
sells his services, and when we are ill we buy those services. 
To go a step further, every person who employs people is a 
buyer of services, and every person who works for a wage 
or a salary is a seller of services. 

If you are seeking a job, therefore, your problem is to be 
able to produce a desirable service, and then to sell that 
service to a satisfactory employer for a satisfactory price. 

208. The nature of a market. — When we speak of a 
market we are thinking of the opportunity to buy or sell. 
Thus a meat market is a place where you may buy various 
kinds of meat, while a livestock market is a place where 
domestic animals are bought and sold. 

Many markets are definite places, such as buildings, 
street corners, or open spots where vegetables and fruits 
are offered for sale. Nevertheless, a market does not always 
depend upon a definite place. The important thing about 
a market is that it offers an opportunity for buying and 
selling, and this opportunity does not necessarily require a 
building or a plot of ground solely for that purpose. Thus 
we may say that there is a good market for stenographers, 
which means simply that here and there about the com¬ 
munity are employers who want to hire persons who can 
do stenographic work. Similarly, we may say that we 
are in the market for a police dog, which means simply that 
we would like to hear of an opportunity to buy a dog of 
this kind. 

209. The part played by communication. — A market, 
then, can be a definite place, but it may also be merely the 
opportunity to buy or sell. 


HOW WE EXCHANGE THINGS 


145 


Now, if a market is not located in a definite spot, how is. 
it that buyers and sellers can bargain with one another? 
The answer is that people communicate with one another 
by means of such devices as the telephone, the telegraph, 
the postal system, and newspaper advertisements. 

Thus the employer who wants a stenographer may adver¬ 
tise for one, whereupon he probably will receive a number 
of letters and tele¬ 
phone calls from girls 
seeking the position. 

In the case of the 
man who wants a 
police dog, it may be 
that he speaks of his 
desire to a friend, and 
the friend tells various 
people, until finally 
the matter comes to 
the attention of a dog 
dealer in another city. 

This dealer may get 
in touch with the man 
who wants a dog, per¬ 
haps by mail, perhaps by telephone, perhaps by telegraph. 

210. The part played by transportation. — The various 
means of communication are an enormous help to people 
who have something to buy or sell. Transportation , how¬ 
ever, is also an important aid in exchange. The railroad, 
the auto truck, the boat, the horse-drawn vehicle, — such 
methods of carrying things to and fro are invaluable. 

For instance, a New England shoe manufacturer may buy 
leather of people in Texas or Wyoming, and of course he 



The advertisements of a newspaper often give the 
business man an idea of where he can buy or sell 
to advantage. 









CIVICS AT WORK 


146 

depends upon transportation to get this leather to his fac¬ 
tory. Likewise, a violinist in Seattle may sell his services 
to a Chicago theatrical producer, which means that the 
musician must travel to Chicago. Again, the various 
means of transportation are relied upon to carry cotton 
from the South to the North, and wheat from the West to 
the East, and so on. 

Remember, then, that money, communication, and trans¬ 
portation are necessary to the modern exchange of goods 
and services. 

211. Money is a means to an end. — Let us draw to¬ 
gether the threads of our discussion by saying that money 
is a means to an end. Money is a tool which helps us to 
get what we want in exchange for what we do not want. 
In the example of the man with the horse, money acted as 
a go-between in his task of exchanging the horse for a cow. 

Suppose, however, that this man sold his horse, and then 
deposited the money in a bank. Is money still a means to 
an end? Yes. The purpose of money is to buy things, 
and it is what money will buy that we want, not the money 
itself. At some future time the man who sold the horse 
will doubtless withdraw his money from the bank and buy 
something with it. Suppose that he uses part of it to buy 
a plow. Very well, the process of exchange is now com¬ 
plete. He formerly had a horse, now he has a plow but 
no horse. The exchange was brought about by means of 
money. Placing the money in the bank for a time only 
delayed the exchange. 

212. What is a bank ? — What is this bank which we 
have mentioned? 

In order to understand the answer to this question, you 
must know that just as some people specialize in farming, 


HOW WE EXCHANGE THINGS 


147 


and other people in teaching or painting, so there are persons 
who make a specialty of dealing in money. A person who 
deals in money is a banker. What does this banker do? 
First of all, he applies to the government for a charter. 
This charter is an 
official permit to use 
money or capital for 
the purpose of con¬ 
ducting a banking 
business. The pos¬ 
sessor of this charter 
now establishes him¬ 
self in a building 
called a bank. He 
has other people to 
help him, as for exam¬ 
ple, a cashier, a book¬ 
keeper, and a number 
of clerks. With the 
aid of these people 
the banker endeavors to attract the attention of people who 
have need of his services. 

213. The services of a bank. — Let us notice the three 
most important services of the bank. 

For one thing, a bank may collect money . This it does 
chiefly by offering to take care of people’s money free of 
charge. In many cases a bank even pays for the use of 
this money in the form of interest. 

Again, a bank safeguards money which has been left with 
it by individuals. This it does either by keeping it in strong 
vaults or by investing it in safe business enterprises. 

Finally, a bank loans money or capital to people who wish 









































148 


CIVICS AT WORK 


to use it, and who can also guarantee that they will be able 
to return it. These borrowers pay for the use of money 
and capital in the form of interest. Part of this interest 
goes to the persons who originally left the money with the 
bank, and the remainder is kept to pay the expenses of 
the bankers and to reward them for their services. 

Something for You to Do 

1. Summarize the important points which have been brought out 

in the preceding chapter. Use your own words, and be brief. 

2. Draw upon your own experience for three examples of barter. 

3. What materials were used for money by the American Indians 

in colonial times? What were the advantages and disadvan¬ 
tages of this kind of money? 

4. In most cases we do not hesitate to accept paper money in 

exchange for metallic money. Why is this? 

5. Give an example of competition in school work. In sports. In 

getting a job. . 

6. Is it wrong to try to buy things for the lowest possible price, and 

sell for the highest possible price? Explain. 

7. Name five services which are bought and sold in your community 

in the course of a single day. 

8. Discuss the statement that “competition is the life of trade.” 

9. Visit a produce market, and observe the exchanges which are 

transacted there. Notice if there are any cases of barter. 

10. Why are strawberries generally higher at the beginning of the 

season than later on? 

11. Examine the “want ad” columns of your local newspaper for 

examples of goods and services which are offered for sale. 

12. Which is the more important means of transportation in your 

community, the railroad or the auto truck ? Give your reasons. 

13. Do you believe that the airplane will some day be as important 

a means of transportation as the automobile? Give your 
reasons. 

14. How many banks are there in your community? Into how 

many types may these banks be divided? 


HOW WE EXCHANGE THINGS 149 

15. What is a check? To what extent do checks take the place of 

money? How do checks help in exchange? 

16. What is meant by saying that banking depends upon confidence? 

17. What conditions must be fulfilled before a person may establish 

a bank in your state? (Consult a friendly banker for this 
information.) 

18. How do banks aid in exchange? Explain clearly and in detail. 


CHAPTER XV 


YOUR JOB WILL COLOR YOUR LIFE 


214. To name a man's job is to reveal him. — Now that 
we have seen how the division of labor has turned us into 
a nation of specialized workers it is time we noticed the 

influence of an occu¬ 
pation upon the per¬ 
son who follows it. 

Do not be puzzled 
by the title of this 
chapter. Its meaning 
can easily be made 
clear. To color a 
thing means to change 
its hue or tint. This 
is precisely what a job 
can do to a human 
life. A job has the 



The average clerk has a rather small income. 


power either to darken your existence or to paint it in bright 
hopeful tints. We spend half of our waking time in work, 
-— moreover, what we are during the other half of this period 
is strongly influenced by our occupation. This is why a 
man really tells you a great deal about himself when he 
tells you how he earns his living. 

Let us go on with this important matter in detail. 

215. The mighty influence of an income. — The income 
of a person who works generally consists of what he earns 










YOUR JOB WILL COLOR YOUR LIFE 151 

in the form of wages or salary. He may be paid at the end 
of each day, or by the week, or by the month, but in any 
case this money income is what supports him. In other 
words, it is what he uses to secure possession of the good 
things of life. 

Imagine, then, the tremendous influence of an income. 
If a man receives a low wage he will naturally have little 
money to spend, which is another way of saying that he 
will be unable to secure a great many comforts and perhaps 
even some necessities. If, on the other hand, a man earns 
a large wage or salary he has the money to buy a great many 
of the good things of life. A man’s income may determine 
whether he rides in an automobile or a street-car, whether 
his wife dresses well or poorly, and whether his children go 
to college or go to work on leaving school. 

216. How different jobs affect income. — Jobs vary 
widely in their influence upon income. 

For example, some jobs tend to yield a large income, 
while others generally pay a low wage. Thus a corporation 
lawyer and an eye specialist usually have large incomes, 
while a grocery clerk and a street laborer receive small 
wages. 

Again, some occupations provide a regular income, while 
others offer irregular pay. For instance, a teacher has a 
regular income. The same is true of most salaried people. 
On the other hand, doctors, lawyers, dentists, and other 
persons relying upon fees may be said to possess irregular 
incomes. Fishermen, farmers, authors, harvest hands, 
and masons also tend to have irregular incomes. 

217. Some jobs are safe, others are dangerous. — Many 
occupations permit the worker to enjoy personal safety. 
The work of bookkeepers, typesetters, or furniture decora- 


i 5 2 


CIVICS AT WORK 


tors may be called safe 
also enjoy a large degree 
Other workers are less 
must handle machinery. 


. Farmers and many mechanics 
of safety at their work, 
fortunate, particularly when they 
The structural iron worker follows 
a dangerous trade. 
So does the man who 
works in a steel mill 
or a foundry or a 
quarry. The chemist 
who deals in drugs 
and explosives is often 
in danger. Railway 
brakemen, firemen, 
and engineers must 
take numerous risks 
in order to do their 
work. Mining en¬ 
dangers a great many 
lives. 

Of course our com¬ 
munities are doing 

This young man and woman are city employees, but they Can to re- 

they are going to lose their jobs. . , . . ■, 

duce industrial acci¬ 
dents; nevertheless, some jobs will always be more dan¬ 
gerous than others. 

218. Your job will probably affect your health. — It is 

likely that your health will be influenced by the occupation 
you follow after you leave school. 

Certain jobs have the power to improve health. For¬ 

estry, cattle herding, and numerous other outdoor jobs afford 
an opportunity to earn a living and at the same time grow 
hale and strong. 



















YOUR JOB WILL COLOR YOUR LIFE 153 

Many indoor occupations are more or less a drain upon 
the general health of the worker. The tailor, the book¬ 
keeper, the seamstress, the stenographer, — these are 
examples of people who often suffer from lack of fresh air 
and exercise. 

Finally, such jobs as mixing paint or piling hides in damp 
cellars may quickly undermine the health of the worker. 

219. Some jobs encourage you to learn, some do not. — 
There are a great many jobs that encourage their followers 
to increase their knowledge and skill. The profession of 
medicine, for example, offers the daily opportunity of learn¬ 
ing more about methods of combating disease. Likewise, 
chemistry never ceases to teach those who work in it. 
Music, teaching, and engineering are further examples of 
work which encourages study and personal improvement. 

On the other hand, there are other jobs which do little 
or nothing to help the worker improve himself. Take, for 
instance, a clerk who does nothing but file letters and records 
all day long. What does he learn, once he has become 
acquainted with the system by which he files his documents ? 
Or consider the case of a girl who operates a machine in 
a textile mill. What does she learn? She does the same 
thing over and over, until her mind is deadened by the 
monotony. How can she improve herself? How can she 
progress? How can she really be happy at her work? 

220. What you do for a living may influence your politics. 
— Your job may also affect the part you play in the political 
life of your community. 

If, for example, you are an engineer, you may realize that 
the sewers in your community are badly in need of repair. 
Naturally you will tend to aid the political candidates who 
promise to remedy this evil. If you are a playground super- 


154 


CIVICS AT WORK 


visor, you will probably oppose a mayor or councilman who 
plans to cut down expenses by abolishing the children’s 

playground. Again, 
if you are an ex¬ 
pert accountant, 
you may be con¬ 
vinced that your 
county government 
is extravagant and 
wasteful. In this 
case, you will 
probably favor a 
movement to re¬ 
form this govern¬ 
ment along busi¬ 
ness lines. 

Sometimes, of 
course, a man will 
favor a political 
party simply be¬ 
cause of the desire 
to hold his job or 

This political orator is promising his listeners a better make more money. 

job — if only they will elect him to office. g Qes w ithout Say¬ 

ing that this is dishonest and ought not to be. 

221. Your job may affect your morals. — Some jobs 
make it difficult to lead a clean, upright life. For example, 
messenger boys are often sent to disreputable places, and 
hence are repeatedly faced by the temptation to do wrong. 
Police work is a necessary and honorable calling, yet police 
officers sometimes suffer from too close contact with 
degraded criminals. 




YOUR JOB WILL COLOR YOUR LIFE 155 

On the other hand, most jobs probably encourage us to 
do right, for the simple reason that industry is based upon 
honesty, clean living, and hard work. Furthermore, many 
types of work actually develop whatever is noble in us. A 
doctor’s work brings out his generosity, and kindness, and 
love of humanity. The nurse follows a noble calling, as 
does the teacher, the social worker, and the minister. Nor 
should we omit the 
homemaker from this 
list, because the 
woman who makes 
family cares her spe¬ 
cial work is daily 
performing one of the 
most splendid of 
tasks. 

222. Your job may 
introduce you to love. 

— In general, we may 
say that what you do 
to earn a living will 
affect the type of 
people with whom 
you associate. Thus 
an artist associates 
with one class of peo¬ 
ple, a bricklayer with 
another. A teacher 
joins an educational club, a plasterer joins a trade union. A 
fireman takes his family to the firemen’s ball, a bank clerk goes 
on a picnic with his fellow employees. So it goes, each special¬ 
ist tending to associate with the members of his own group. 



One of the coal heavers in this picture used to go 
to school with the three young lawyers in the 
foreground. 

















CIVICS AT WORK 


156 

All this means that a great many young people will be 
introduced to you by means of your job. The person you 
will eventually care for most deeply may be among this 
number. Many a young man has fallen in love with a girl 
that he would never have known had it not been for the 
associations that grew out of his job. Likewise, many a 
girl has become attached to a man who first came to her 
attention because he worked in the same office or factory 
with her. 

223. A job may say “ yes ” to love, or it may say 
“ no.” — In addition to bringing young people together 
and helping them to fall in love, a job may have the power 
of saying “ yes ” or “ no ” to their plans. 

Thus if a young man has a good position he may consider 
that he is able to take care of a wife, and hence he may plan 
to be married at once or in the very near future. If he is 
not earning a great deal at the time of his marriage, he may 
be in line for promotion, or he may be establishing a practice 
as a lawyer or doctor. In either case his marriage may be 
justified. His job has said “ yes ” to him. 

But what if this young man earns very little money and has 
no immediate prospect of earning more? In such a case his 
job may say “ no ” to his plans, for how is he going to sup¬ 
port a wife ? No matter how much he loves a girl, no self- 
respecting man will ask her to marry him until he is able to 
provide a decent home for her. Neither will he ask her to 
go out to work after they are married, although in some 
cases this might be justifiable. Ordinarily the only thing 
he can properly do is to postpone marriage, and invest in a 
better job. 

224. Why we speak of investing in a job. — When a man 
invests money he permits it to be put to work in some sort 


YOUR JOB WILL COLOR YOUR LIFE 


I 57 


of business enterprise, for the sake of what it will produce 
in the future. If he uses care and judgment, this investment 
may bring him in a considerable amount of money. If, on 
the contrary, he has invested carelessly, it may be that he 
receives no return, and even loses the money he has risked. 

Now the choice of a job is somewhat like investing money, 
only it is much more important than risking merely money. 
Why ? Because when you decide upon your occupation you 
are investing yourself. You are investing your health and 
time and energy and thought. Likewise, you are investing 
all your hopes and dreams of the future. 

As for the returns from this investment of yourself , every¬ 
thing depends upon the wisdom and care with which you seek 
to discover the right job for you. 

225. A brief review of what has gone before. — In this 
and the four preceding chapters we have discussed the mean¬ 
ing of work. First, we outlined the reasons why we work. 
After that we noticed the manner in which the labor of the 
world has been divided and sub-divided, until to-day most 
people are specialists. We saw that we depend upon one 
another, and then we studied the methods by means of 
which we exchange goods and services. 

In short, we have been examining the framework of the 
busy world which you are preparing to enter. It is a world 
of specialists. You, too, will become a specialist. Your 
job will color your life, and for this reason the next five 
chapters of the text undertake to help you answer the ques¬ 
tion, What is the right job for you? 


CIVICS AT WORK 


158 


Something for You to Do 

1. Study Section 225 with care, and then answer the following ques¬ 

tion : Why is it necessary for us to understand the meaning of 
work? 

2. To what extent is a man’s occupation a clue to his education? 

3. Which is more important in determining the size of a man’s 

income, the nature of his job or his own ability? Explain. 

4. Successful prizefighters generally receive large incomes. Is this 

wrong? Give your reasons. 

5. Why do ministers so often receive low salaries? What is the 

remedy for this condition? 

6 . What is a trade union? What is a strike? What effect has a 

strike upon the income of people who belong to trade unions ? 

7. How do you account for the fact that some lawyers receive large 

incomes, while other lawyers receive barely enough to live on ? 

8. In what way is mining a dangerous occupation? 

9. Debate the following question, “ Resolved, that aviation may now 

be ranked as a reasonably safe occupation.” 

10. Are outdoor jobs always beneficial to health ? Explain. 

11. What are the advantages of selecting friends from the people you 

learn to know through your work? What are the disadvan¬ 
tages? 

12. Under what circumstances is it justifiable for a married woman 

to help her husband by going out to work ? 

13. The continued operation of machinery in a factory or mill often 

has certain bad effects upon the workman. Name two of these 
bad effects. 

14. Give three examples of work which is very monotonous. Is there 

any remedy for this ? 

15. Do you think you could tell, at this time, just what is the right 

job for you? Explain. 

16. Is it necessary for you to be happy at your work ? Explain. 

17. Why is the selection of a suitable occupation such a difficult- 

matter? 

18. Turn to the table of contents at the beginning of this text and 

examine the titles of Chapters XVI-XX. Which of these titles 
interests you most ? Why ? 


B. WHAT IS THE RIGHT JOB FOR YOU? 


CHAPTER XVI 

OCCUPATIONS TO CHOOSE FROM 

227. The problem before us. — As the result of the divi¬ 
sion of labor there are now more than ten thousand separate 
and distinct occupations in the United States. It would 
be practically impossible to study each of these in turn, 
therefore we shall have to arrange them in groups. 

But how shall we arrange or classify this multitude of 
occupations? By grouping these jobs in such a way as 
to fit in with your particular purpose. Your purpose is to 
find the right job for you. In other words, you want to 
find a job which will be suitable to your abilities, disposition, 
and ambitions. Since this is your purpose we shall approach 
the subject from your personal standpoint, giving as many 
examples as possible of occupations which might possibly 
be suitable to you. 

Let us begin at once. 

228. What about going into business for yourself ? — 

Some young people do not like to work for others. They 
insist upon being “independent.” Many times these 
young people have an older relative who is in business for 
himself, and this encourages their desire to set up an 
establishment of their own. If you are this type of person 
it is possible that you would succeed if you went into busi¬ 
ness for yourself, especially if you could secure the necessary 
amount of capital. 


159 


i6o 


CIVICS AT WORK 


For example, you might do well as a grocer or as the 
proprietor of a meat market or laundry. You might also 
consider establishing yourself in the candy business, or you 
might set up a restaurant or open a dry goods store or 
sell cigars and tobacco. A large number of people earn a 
comfortable living by dealing in automobile accessories. 
Garage keepers, photographers, and druggists are further 
examples of “ independent ” business people. 

229. Are you fond of animals or plants ? — If you enjoy 
growing things, it may be that farming will suit your tastes 
and abilities. Most farmers raise a wide variety of crops, 
but if general farming does not attract you, perhaps you 
would enjoy some of its specialized branches. Truck gar¬ 
dening is one of these branches. Fruit culture is another. 
Then there is the greenhouse keeper, the grower of flowers, 
and the florist. Forestry may also be mentioned here. 

The raising of animals is becoming a highly specialized 
business. Thus many people make a good living by con¬ 
ducting dairies, chiefly for the purpose of selling milk and 
cream. The raising of blooded horses is an interest¬ 
ing occupation. Some people specialize in raising hogs or 
sheep, while others devote themselves to poultry, especially 
chickens. Bee culture and the breeding of dogs and other 
pets are worth considering, if you are fond of this general 
type of work. 

230. Would you like to operate machinery? — Many 
boys show a natural bent toward operating machines and 
engines. If your inclinations are in this direction, you may 
find happiness in operating a railway locomotive. Or you 
may be successful as a private chauffeur, a taxicab driver, 
or the operator of a motor bus or automobile truck. 

You might also investigate the work of the stationary 


OCCUPATIONS TO CHOOSE FROM 161 

engineer. This specialist operates the steam engines which 
are used in factories and shops, and which are often used 
as the basis of the heating system in business blocks, schools, 
and other public buildings. The stationary engineer has 
charge of one or more boilers, and in addition he may super¬ 
vise the heating system of the building in which he works. 

As further examples of this type of work, notice the 
people who earn their living by operating cranes, derricks, 
hoisting engines, steam shovels, drawbridges, elevators, 
textile machinery, 
linotypes, and print¬ 
ing presses. 

231. Do you enjoy 
making things? — 

Many young people 
show a natural ability 
at making tables, 
chairs, radio sets, or 
various types of en¬ 
gines. If you have 
ability of this sort, 
you may do well to 
enter the building 
trades. For instance, 
you might become a 
structural ironworker, a concrete worker, a carpenter, a 
mason, or a plasterer. Again, if you like to make things, 
you may be successful as a blacksmith, a tinsmith, a cop¬ 
persmith, or a boiler-maker. 

The machine shop offers various types of employment to 
boys who like to make things. Men are needed to operate 
its lathes, planers, shapers, and pressers, — all of which 


























162 


CIVICS AT WORK 


devices are used in the making of tools. There is also a 
specialized workman called the patternmaker, who makes 
wooden models of tools and machine parts. These models 
are afterward used by the molder in making castings. 

Finally, there are people who earn a good living by mak¬ 
ing instruments to be used by such specialists as surgeons, 
dentists, engineers, motorists, and aviators. 

232. Can you repair things? —The majority of people 
who do repair work for a living began to show this ability 
very early in life. Have you ever shown any marked abil¬ 
ity at repairing clocks, wagons, sleds, desks, or other broken 
articles? If so, you may be satisfied and successful as a 
mender of watches, or in keeping automobiles in repair. 
If these two branches of repair work do not appeal to you, 
you may find a place for your talents in the repair depart¬ 
ment of a large store, or factory, or mill. 

The electrician often does repair work, as, for example, he 
may keep radios and electric light systems in order. Related 
to these tasks is the work of repairing switchboards and 
other parts of a telephone system. Many specialists also 
find employment in installing such equipment as telephone, 
telegraph, and electric light systems. The gas-fitter and 
the plumber are examples of workmen who not only 
install equipment but keep it in order. 

233. Does transportation appeal to you? What about 
communication ? — The field of transportation offers numer¬ 
ous chances to persons interested in this branch of work. 
Our railway systems require conductors, brakemen, and a 
host of assisting workmen. The express service attracts 
many of our boys, while our boats and ships, and street-car 
and auto bus systems employ additional thousands. The 
field of communication may be divided into several 


OCCUPATIONS TO CHOOSE FROM 163 

branches. One of these is the United States mail service, 
offering work to thousands of postal clerks, mail-sorters, 
and other specialized workers. Telephone operators, teleg¬ 
raphers, and radio announcers are also to be classed under 
communication. 

Then there is aviation, a field of service which is in a class 
by itself. Airplanes are rapidly approaching perfection, 
and as a consequence they are being used for more and more 
purposes. Every year increases the number of pilots who 
are engaged in handling airplanes, and of course this means 
an increase in the number of mechanics who clean and repair 
various airplane parts. Do not overlook the various phases 
of aviation in your search for a life work. 

234 . Are you good at figures ? -— A great many boys and 
girls are unusually skillful at preparing their school assign¬ 
ments in arithmetic. This may help to decide the matter 
of an occupation, for there are numerous callings in which 
the worker must be good at figures. 

For instance, a bookkeeper is required to handle figures 
with rapidity and accuracy. The same is true of many 
thousands of clerks, not only in stores, but in offices, mills, 
factories, and shops. 

If a clerk or bookkeeper proves his ability, he may work 
his way to a better position. Thus he may become a 
cashier, or an accountant, or an auditor. A railway clerk 
may become the head of a department, while a bank clerk 
may be promoted to the position of teller. 

It is worth noting, however, that no clerk or bookkeeper 
can secure promotion, or even hold his job, if skill at fig¬ 
ures is his only asset. Like all other workers, the person 
who is good at figures must also be industrious and 
reliable. 


CIVICS AT WORK 


164 

235. Would you be interested in keeping records? — 

You have no doubt observed that many people are by nature 
neat and methodical. Perhaps you yourself are inclined 
toward this kind of orderliness, both at home and in your 
school work. If you are, you may possibly find your place 
as a keeper of records. 

There are plenty of jobs for people who enjoy handling 
records. Many large establishments employ filing clerks, 
for the purpose of sorting, classifying, and storing valuable 
papers. Stenographers are often called upon to help in 
this work. So are librarians, especially if they have any 
skill at cataloguing or compiling bibliographies. Finally, 
the government requires a host of people who can keep 
accurate records. A great many of these government 
clerks obtain their positions by means of civil service exami¬ 
nations, which is worth bearing in mind if you are inclined 
toward this type of work. 

236. Are you efficient at planning ? — Modern life is 
getting to be a very complicated affair, therefore there is a 
growing demand for men and women who are efficient at 
planning how difficult things shall be accomplished. 

For instance, many large concerns employ designers who 
plan the form which their employer’s product shall take. 
New fashions in shoes, hats, radios, or automobiles are 
affected by the work of the designer of these articles. 
Likewise, many industrial plants employ draftsmen to plan 
the tools and machines which the concern needs. The 
buyer for a store is also a specialist in planning. 

Rapid promotion is often the reward of people who can 
plan work efficiently. Thus a designer or a buyer may 
become a general manager. A draftsman may work into 
the position of architect. Likewise, other persons having 


OCCUPATIONS TO CHOOSE FROM 


^5 



the ability to analyze and plan may succeed at some branch 
of engineering, for instance civil, mining, electrical, or sani¬ 
tary engineering. City planning also offers a fascinating 
field for those who 
can qualify for this 
type of work. 

237. Can you han¬ 
dle and organize peo¬ 
ple ?—Have you ever 
shown any marked 
ability at getting 
along with people ? 

Are you skillful at 
smoothing out differ¬ 
ences on the play¬ 
ground? Have you 
had any success in 
persuading the mem¬ 
bers of your school 
club to look at things from your standpoint? If so, the 
right job for you may consist in handling or organizing 
people. 

A secretary often has an opportunity to do this type of 
work, not only in carrying out the orders of her employer, 
but in quietly removing obstacles from his path. A fore¬ 
man must be able to manage the workmen under him. 
Likewise, the head of a department should be skillful at 
handling the people with whom he works. The same is 
true of a building contractor, an insurance adjuster, and a 
physical director. If you investigate personnel manage¬ 
ment, you will find that this work also requires the ability 
to handle people with tact and skill. 


He is explaining how he can save his employers 
many thousands of dollars a year. This kind of 
planning brings rich rewards. 






CIVICS AT WORK 


166 

238. What about salesmanship ? — Have you the ability 
and desire to earn your living by selling things ? If so, }*ou 
will find that the stores in your community offer many 
excellent opportunities along this line. Department stores, 
specialty shops, hardware establishments, drug stores, — 
all of these places require salespeople of ability. 

In addition, salesmanship offers an opportunity to work 
out-of-doors. The commercial traveler, or “ drummer,” 
goes about from one community to another, seeking cus¬ 
tomers for the products which he represents. The man or 
woman who sells insurance also travels about a good deal. 
Likewise, the dealer in real estate spends a good share of his 
time moving about in search of people who may be per¬ 
suaded to buy what he has to sell. 

239. Have you ever thought of publicity work ? — The 
number of persons engaged in publicity work is increasing 
every year. Does any branch of this work appeal to you ? 
Have you ever done any work for your school magazine? 
What about the newspaper business? Every large news¬ 
paper requires young men and young women in its various 
departments; as, for example, to help with its advertising or 
circulation problems. Or your local newspaper may give 
you a chance to prove your ability as a reporter. 

Have you ever examined the possibilities of advertising ? 
It is an interesting, and often a profitable business. 

Many people earn their living by lecturing on behalf of 
this or that public movement. Radio broadcasting is 
employing more and more lecturers and speakers. The 
professional politician may likewise be classed as a specialist 
who earns his living in publicity work. Finally, there are 
people who make a business of promoting fairs, pageants, 
carnivals, and expositions. 


OCCUPATIONS TO CHOOSE FROM 


167 


240. Does science attract you ? — Are you especially 
interested in the science work which you have taken in 
school? If so, you should consider the prospect of earning 
your living at some form of scientific work. 

Every large museum employs competent scientists to care 
for its various departments. Mining requires persons who 
understand geology. A dye-works has need of chemists, 
and so has a textile mill. Steel plants, glass factories, and 
paint-making establishments need various types of scientific 
knowledge. Again, the government has need of almost 
every kind of science in order to carry on its work. To give 
but two examples, a botanist might find employment in 
the United States Department of Agriculture, while a 
physicist might obtain work in the Weather Bureau. 

241. Could you be satisfied in health work? — This 
brings us to health work as a means of earning a living. 
Have you ever considered the different branches of medi¬ 
cine? Why do we say “different branches”? Because 
the division of labor is rapidly turning the profession of 
medicine into a series of specialized callings. Of course the 
general practitioner is still in existence, but he is being 
outnumbered by such newcomers as the surgeon, the expert 
on bone growth, the oculist, the ear and nose specialist, and 
the authority on X-ray work. 

The field of nursing is closely connected with the various 
branches of medicine. In many communities there are 
nurses who specialize in public health. Some nurses devote 
their time to the health needs of school children. Clinics 
and dispensaries also employ a large number of people. 
Health inspectors and experts on sanitation should be men¬ 
tioned here. Finally, the physical director and the special¬ 
ist in diet must not be forgotten. 


i68 


CIVICS AT WORK 


242. Does helping people appeal to you? — We come 
now to a series of occupations which specialize in some form 
of aid to other people. The agents of charitable organiza¬ 
tions are in this class. Settlement-house workers and play¬ 
ground supervisors also earn their living by helping others. 
The same is true of clergymen, Y.M.C.A. and Y.W.C.A. 

secretaries, and Red 
Cross workers. 

A great many young 
men and young women 
are finding employ¬ 
ment in welfare work 
in industry. For in¬ 
stance, large mills and 
factories now fre¬ 
quently employ per¬ 
sons to suggest and 
provide means of im¬ 
proving the health and 
spirits of their work¬ 
ing people. Welfare 
workers may be called 
upon to organize clubs, sports, and entertainments among 
the employees of particular factories. 

243. Are you attracted by teaching? — The profession 
of teaching is directly concerned with helping others, 
and it is also of such importance as to be placed in a class 
by itself. 

Do you think that you would like to teach? Certainly 
you ought to have rather definite ideas on this subject, 
because for years you have been closely associated with 
various phases of this work. 



This welfare worker is introducing the two girls 
to the rest room which has been provided by their 
employer. 



























OCCUPATIONS TO CHOOSE FROM 169 

Teaching, like many other professions, is becoming 
highly specialized. In the lower grades, to be sure, a 
teacher is called upon to give instruction in any number of 
subjects. The higher in the grades we go, however, the 
more the teacher tends to be a specialist. Many high 
school teachers confine themselves to two subjects, or even 
to one. In colleges and universities the majority of instruc¬ 
tors teach only one subject, such as some branch of American 
history, or Latin, or industrial development. 

244. Are you capable of becoming a professional enter¬ 
tainer ? — Still another series of occupations has to do with 
amusement and entertainment. Have you any special 
ability in this direction? If you have, would you care to 
earn your living by using this ability ? 

If professional entertaining appeals to you, it might be 
well for you to study the possibilities of the stage. Dramatic 
actors and comedians generally find a sale for their services, 
provided , of course , that they possess genuine ability and are 
not merely imagining that they are clever. Vaudeville circuits 
offer an opportunity to persons who can sing, play various 
musical instruments, perform difficult dance steps, or other¬ 
wise entertain the public. The concert stage also invites 
skillful pianists, violinists, or singers. The radio and the 
moving picture business might also be considered, but with 
great care, and only after you are firmly convinced that you 
are capable of winning success at this sort of work. 

Notice that professional entertaining generally provides 
a very irregular income. 

245. Have you any skill which might be called artistic? 

— We come now to a whole group of occupations which 
have nothing in common except an artistic use of manual 
skill. Cabinet makers may be said to belong to this class, 


CIVICS AT WORK 


170 

because they handle fine wood materials with great ability 
and taste. Related to cabinet making is the work of 
painting or ornamenting furniture. A window dresser may 
also show artistry in arranging displays of drugs, clothing, 
or other goods. 

The milliner and the designer of costumes may be con¬ 
sidered here. So may the interior decorator. Then there 
are a considerable number of people who earn a living by 
making toys, souvenirs, and various kinds of novelties. 
Again, we must mention the sign painter, and the people who 
illustrate catalogues, magazines, posters, and books. All 
of these people live by making use of their ability to put 
skill and artistry to a practical use. 

246. Is your mind creative ? — Finally let us notice the 
work of the creative artist. What is a creative artist? 
He is a person who has the gift of originating a work of art 
which is distinctive and decidedly worth while. It is some¬ 
times thought that a creative artist is exclusively a painter, 
but in the sense in which we use it here the term refers to 
sculptors, writers, and musicians as well. The painting of 
a portrait, the modeling of a statue, the writing of a poem, 
and the composing of a sonata may all be thought of as 
creative art. 

Creative art demands gifts of a very high order, and in 
addition it requires long years of hard work to develop 
these gifts. The training of a creative artist is often long 
and tedious and lonely, with no assurance of success at the 
end. Even when he is successful from the standpoint of 
the critics it may be that there is no popular demand for 
his work. His art may be a noble one, and he may love 
to work with it; nevertheless, he may be unable to earn a 
living at it, either for a family or for himself. 


OCCUPATIONS TO CHOOSE FROM 


171 


Something for You to Do 

1. Summarize the important points which have been brought out in 

the preceding chapter. Use your own words, and be brief. 

2. What government bureau collects figures on the various occupa¬ 

tions in the United States ? How are these occupations classi¬ 
fied by this bureau? 

3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of going into busi¬ 

ness for yourself? 

4. What is truck gardening? Are there any truck gardeners in 

your vicinity? Does it appear to you that they earn a good 
living? 

5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a florist? 

6. What is forestry? Explain its importance as an occupation. 

7. What are the advantages and disadvantages of raising livestock 

for a living ? 

8. Is structural ironworking an important occupation in your com¬ 

munity ? Explain. 

9. What is a lathe, and how is it used ? Do lathe operators receive 

large or small wages? 

10. Suppose that a boy wished to become a locomotive engineer. 

How would he go about realizing this ambition? 

11. What is a linotype, and how is it operated? Would you like to 

be a linotype operator ? Give your reasons. 

12. What are the qualifications of a successful watch-maker? 

13. Make a list of the occupations which are connected with the use 

of electricity. 

14. What different types of specialist find employment with the 

street-car system in your community ? 

15. Name some of the specialists who are employed in your local 

post office, or in connection with the postal service in your 
community. 

16. What are the duties of a cost accountant ? What type of ability 

is required of this specialist ? 

17. What are the duties of an auditor? How would you go about 

becoming an auditor ? 

18. What is meant by civil service? Trace, briefly, the origin and 

development of the civil service in the United States. 


172 


CIVICS AT WORK 


19. Make a brief study of the different occupations which may be 

entered by means of civil service examinations. 

20. What are the advantages of being a government employee ? What 

are the disadvantages ? 

21. Discuss the extent to which the radio has opened up new occupa¬ 

tions for young people. 

22. How many types of engineering are there? State, briefly, the 

nature of each of these types. 

23. Under what circumstances may a stenographer develop into a 

private secretary? 

24. What abilities are required of a successful salesman? 

25. Industrial chemistry is rapidly becoming an important occupa¬ 

tion. What is meant by industrial chemistry ? 

26. Visit a large mill or factory in your community, and investigate 

the nature of welfare work in that establishment 

27. What are the qualifications of a teacher in the public schools in 

your community ? 

28. What are the disadvantages of being an actor or actress? 

29. Why is it that sculptors or composers of music often refuse to take 

steps to make their productions popular? 

30. Has your study of this chapter changed your ideas of what is the 

right job for you? Explain. 

Note to Teachers. This is a very important chapter, and may 
require much more time than other chapters. There is a fine oppor¬ 
tunity at this point for an intensive study of local industries. 


CHAPTER XVII 


HOW TO CHOOSE WISELY AND WELL 

247. Beware of drifting. — It is possible that the pre¬ 
ceding chapter has filled you with doubt. There are so 
many different kinds of work that perhaps you think finding 
the right job is like hunting for a needle in a haystack. If 
it is going to be so difficult, why not forget the matter until 
you are out of school and actually ready to go to work? 
Why not let the future take care of itself ? 

This is one way of doing it, to be sure. The trouble is, 
however, that if you let the future take care of itself you will 
probably drift into a job. This job is likely to be unsuited 
to you, in which case it certainly cannot bring you much in 
the way of success and happiness. 

Therefore, it will be much better if you insist upon choos¬ 
ing a job which is really suited to your abilities, tempera¬ 
ment, and ambitions. You can find such a job, —provided, 
of course, that you observe certain important rules. 

248. Know thyself. — One of these rules is that you must 
find out what you are, and what you are not. Study your¬ 
self. Find out what your physical self is capable of doing. 
Try it out at various kinds of work and observe how it 
responds to different types of strain. Study the powers 
and inclinations of your mind, and the peculiarities of your 
character and disposition. Learn to recognize your strong 
points and your weak points, your likes and your dislikes. 

173 


174 


CIVICS AT WORK 


Does this appeal to you as being a difficult task ? It need 
not be. Remember what the hands of the clock said to the 
pendulum. The pendulum fell to calculating the tremen¬ 
dous number of times it must swing back and forth, but 
when it complained to the hands of the clock the hands 
said, “ But cheer up, you may take your work as it comes, 
one swing at a time.” That applies to you also. Be con¬ 
tent to study yourself a little at a time, and in this manner 
gradually learn what kind of work is suited to you. 

249. Do not judge an occupation by the people who 
follow it. — It sometimes happens that a girl decides to take 
up teaching because she is fond of her instructors at school. 
Likewise, a boy may resolve to enter the army simply be¬ 
cause he admires the appearance of a certain army officer. 
You may scorn engineering because you once knew an 
engineer who was a scoundrel. Or perhaps you avoid book¬ 
keeping because the bookkeepers you know are generally 
complaining of their work. 

But you cannot judge an occupation in this manner. 
In every occupation that you investigate you will find all 
sorts of people, clever and dull, noble and mean, good and 
bad. Be careful, therefore, not to estimate a job by one 
or two of its followers. Judge an occupation on its own 
merits, and then consider it as it will probably be when it 
is combined with your disposition, character, and abilities. 

250 . Keep away from the blind alley. — A blind alley 
is an alley which has an entrance but no outlet, so that you 
go into it only to find your progress blocked. 

The term “ blind alley ” is applied to jobs which offer 
no opportunity for advancement. Selling newspapers is a 
blind alley job, because it does not train a boy to do anything 
but sell papers. The bootblack and most messenger boys 


HOW TO CHOOSE WISELY AND WELL 


*75 


are in blind alley work. The same is true of girls who dip 
candy, or paste labels on boxes, or make paper flowers. 

Children often leave school to enter a blind-alley job. 
Have you ever envied boys and girls who do this? As a 
matter of fact you ought to feel sorry for them. Why? 
Is it not true that a blind-alley job will put them to earning 
money very early in life ? Yes, but 
the wages paid by jobs < 



tend to remain low, and meanwhile 
the worker is not learning any¬ 


thing worth while. A 
blind-alley job never 
enabled any one to 
work up to a position 
which satisfies normal 


ambition. 


If you are wise, 
therefore, you will 
avoid the blind-alley 
job as you would the 
plague. 


Is this girl in a blind-alley job? 


251. Use caution in considering a spectacular job. — It is 

very common for young people to wish to enter occupations 
which impress them as being romantic or dramatic or grand. 
Thus girls often long to be actresses, while boys dream of 
amazing the world as daring aviators. 

Ambitions of this sort may be worthy of consideration, 
but in most cases they probably are not. At any rate, you 
should be very cautious about indulging your romantic 
feelings. Remember that most people have these desires 
when they are young — and outgrow them with the passing 
years. Moreover, you should realize that spectacular jobs 












CIVICS AT WORK 


176 

often sail under false colors. You see them in a romantic 
light, whereas they all require years of drudgery of the men 
and women who follow them. Before you set out to be an 
actor or fiction writer or a transatlantic flyer, therefore, be 
sure that you are not being deceived by the gay colors in 
which your imagination has painted jobs of this sort. 

252. You must understand all that a job involves. — In 
other words, get acquainted with a job which interests you. 
Look at it from different angles. Examine the demands 
which it will make upon you. Weigh its advantages 
against its disadvantages. Do not be misled by false 
glamour or one-sided reports. 

For example, give serious thought to the wonderful pos¬ 
sibilities of aviation, but do not overlook the drawbacks of 
this type of work. If you hear of a lawyer who has just 
received a fee of $100,000, find out how common such fees 
are before you decide to take up law. In case you are filled 
with admiration by the sight of a nurse’s uniform, investi¬ 
gate the everyday duties of a nurse. 

This procedure is necessary if you are to choose wisely 
and well. 

253. Make sure that you really like the job. — It is 

hard to know just how long our liking for a particular kind 
of work is going to last. When we are very young it may 
be that we are firmly convinced that we wish to be coal 
shovelers, or lion-tamers ! By the time we reach high school 
these childish ambitions have disappeared, and others have 
taken their place. 

How do we know that these new ambitions are going to last? 

We do not know, and this is why you must thoroughly 
test your liking for this or that job. Think over the list 
of your discarded ambitions, and try to discover if your 


HOW TO CHOOSE WISELY AND WELL 


177 


present desire is likely to pass away. Do not be ashamed 
of delaying your decision in this matter of choosing a job, 
but keep on studying yourself and the job, in order to make 
sure that your liking for it is genuine and long lasting. 

254. Ask yourself if you have the necessary ability. — 
Again, you must make sure that you are qualified for the 
occupation which you propose 
to enter. 

For example, if you have 
done poorly in your school 
arithmetic, you should 
realize that you would 
probably fail as an ac¬ 
countant or auditor. 

If you are restless, 
perhaps office work 
would make you un¬ 
happy. If your marks 
in history have been 
only fair, think twice 
before you resolve 
to become a professor 
of history. In case you are athletic and fond of exercise 
you should feel justified in trying for a position as physical 
director. Or if your memory is good and you talk well and 
your mind is logical, do not be afraid that the profession of 
law is beyond your powers. 

In short, use common sense and be honest with yourself. 

255. The question of service versus money. — Young 
people are sometimes advised to choose the job which will 
enable them to . perform the greatest service to the com¬ 
munity, regardless of the money which that job pays. 



Your marks in science work will give you some 
idea as to the wisdom of planning to become a 
chemist or biologist. 








CIVICS AT WORK 


178 

This is unwise advice. All forms of lawful work are really 
service; furthermore, it would be very hard to say which 
occupations are the most important to the community. 

As for money, this a tool whereby you will advance your 
education and maintain your health and efficiency. There¬ 
fore, if your job pays so little money that you are unable to 
live decently, you will be unable to take your place as a 
healthy, normal, and capable member of the community. 

Do not be selfish about money; on the other hand, do 
not harm yourself and your family and your community 
by selecting a job which pays too little money. 

256. Do not be afraid of an “ overcrowded occupation.” 
— Another bit of false advice declares that you should 
avoid every occupation in which there is already a great 
deal of competition. 

One trouble with such advice is that this occupation may 
not be overcrowded by th8 time you are actually ready to 
enter it. 

Again, you may escape severe competition by moving to 
another neighborhood or community. Thus there may be 
too many doctors in a city, but too few of them in the adjoin¬ 
ing towns and country districts. 

Finally, there is no good reason for being afraid of com¬ 
petition. If you have selected a job because it is suitable 
to your abilities and temperament, you are well equipped 
to win the rewards which this type of work has to offer. 
Wise people only smile at competition, and go on working 
and climbing ahead in their chosen occupation. 

257. Opportunity is more common than ever before. — 
The boys and girls of to-day sometimes feel that the oppor¬ 
tunity to win success is less than it used to be. Perhaps 
there seems to be nothing more to invent, and no more 


HOW TO CHOOSE WISELY AND WELL 


179 


great businesses to establish. So it may be that you have 
often said to yourself, rather mournfully, that there is no 
chance for a bright, willing young person nowadays. 

Yet as a matter of fact, such well-informed persons as 
Thomas Edison, the inventor, declare that the opportunities 
for young people to-day are far greater than at any time in 
the past. The opportunities of to-day are different from 
the opportunities of former times, that is all. American 
life is changing and growing, and as it develops it offers our 
young people new fields to conquer. Therefore you must 
look about you for modern opportunities, not the oppor¬ 
tunities of a bygone age. 

258. A choice tends to be permanent. — Perhaps you 
will try several occupations before you find the right job 
for you. This may be necessary; nevertheless, you should 
never select a job unless you really feel that it is suited 
to you. Of course you can change if you decide you have 
chosen the wrong job, but the better way is to try to make 
sure in the beginning. 

This may save you a great deal of time and energy, and 
it may also keep you from continuing at unsuitable work. 
For in many cases people keep on at work which they know 
is not suited to them. It is something like keeping your seat 
in a theater after you have become dissatisfied with the 
“show.” You have spent money for your seat, and it is 
too much trouble to get up and go out, — and so you stay. 

259. The final choice of a job may require years. — 
When we speak of choosing a life work we do not mean that 
this selection can be made in a day, or a week, or a month. 
On the contrary, it may be that you will have to study this 
question for a number of years before you are fully satisfied 
that you have found the right job for you. 


i8o 


CIVICS AT WORK 


Of course this does not mean that the choice of a job will 
require years of continuous study, to the exclusion of all 
other matters. It does mean, however, that as you go on 
with such activities as recreation and school work you 
ought to be on the outlook for anything which might help 
you find your proper work. Study yourself, and learn what 
you can about different occupations, so that when the time 
comes for a final choice you will be able to choose wisely 
and well. The prize is worth striving for, because as the 
philosopher Carlyle has well said, whoever has found his 
work is blessed. 

260. Preparing for a job. — No wise motorist will start 
on a long trip with neither gas in his car nor money in his 
pocket. Likewise, no wise person will set out to enter an 
occupation without first knowing what he is going to do 
about the preparation which it requires. 

For example, it would be ridiculous for a girl to plan to be 
a nurse, and then complain against the length of training 
which this profession requires. Likewise, it would be a 
waste of time and money for a boy to enter an engineering 
school, and then object that he could not afford to go on 
with his training. 

This brings us to the question of special training, which we 
shall discuss in detail in the next chapter. 

Something for You to Do 

1. Summarize the important points which have been brought out in 

the preceding chapter. Use your own words, and be brief. 

2. Give an example to illustrate the difference between choosing a job 

and drifting into a job, 

3. How many blind-alley jobs are to be found in your community? 

4. What arguments might be advanced by boys or girls who wished 

to leave school to enter a blind-alley job? How would you 

reply to these arguments ? 


HOW TO CHOOSE WISELY AND WELL 181 

5. What is meant by the “child labor movement”? What occupa¬ 

tions have been closed to young children by child labor laws? 

6. What are the chief reasons why so many boys and girls leave high 

school before graduating? 

7. What are some of the disadvantages of authorship as a profes¬ 

sion? 

8 . Why is it that so many girls are eager to become actresses? 

9. What are the qualifications for becoming an aviator ? How many 

of these qualifications can you meet ? 

10. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of politics as a career. 

11. Is it wrong for parents to decide what occupation their son or 

daughter shall enter? Explain your view. 

12. Show that conceit and vanity may result in a person’s choosing 

an occupation which is totally unsuited to him. 

13. Illustrate the statement that “competition in an occupation may 

be a sign that this occupation has rich rewards to distribute.” 

14. Give three examples of the fact that the opportunities of to-day 

are of a different type from what they were fifty years ago. 

15. Name three occupations which require many years of preparation 

before they begin to yield an income. 

16. In what different ways can you gather information on various 

occupations ? 

17. Edison, the inventor, was once asked if he had any advice for 

young people. He said that he had no such advice, because 
“youth does not take advice.” Do you believe this? Give 
your reasons. 


CHAPTER XVIII 


THE QUESTION OF SPECIAL TRAINING 

261. In the days of general ability. — One of the most 
astonishing things about American life is that many of our 
“ captains of industry ” began their careers under the most 
humble circumstances. A great many of them had no 
special training for any occupation whatsoever. Moreover, 
they had very little money, and often they had no friends 
to help them get a start in life. 

They made a start for themselves, by making use of that 
energy and native intelligence which we call “ general 
ability.” Sometimes this start in life consisted of sweeping 
out a railroad office, or running errands, or clerking in a 
warehouse, — for the low wage of a dollar or two a week. 
Yet this did not keep them from advancing. Industry was 
young and businesses were so small that general ability was 
precisely what was needed. The young business people of 
that day worked and watched, learning and advancing 
steadily, until in time they were rich and successful. 

262. How our life has changed since then. — American 
industry has changed in four distinct ways since the early 
days which we have been describing. 

First of all, industry has grown tremendously. 

In the second place, business has become complicated. 
Shoe manufacture, for example, is no longer carried on by 
a cobbler working by hand. Instead, shoes are made in 
huge factories in which there are numerous departments 
and processes and busy machines. 

182 


THE QUESTION OF SPECIAL TRAINING 


183 

Third, the work of the world has become highly specialized. 
This is because of the division of labor, as we saw in an 
earlier chapter. 

Fourth, much of our work has become technical. The 
electrician and the chemist illustrate this development. 

263. General ability is no longer wanted. — As the result 
of all these changes, the old-fashioned type of general ability 
is less and less in de¬ 
mand, while special 
ability is more and 
more in demand. 

The modern em¬ 
ployer will require 
you to be honest, in¬ 
telligent, and willing 
to work, but he will 
also demand of you 
some special train¬ 
ing, experience, or 
skill. If you cannot 
meet this demand 
your chances of find¬ 
ing desirable work 
are small. 

Thus when Edison said that opportunity is greater to-day 
than ever before he meant opportunity for those who have 
some special training or skill. The opportunity of the 
untrained boy or girl is generally the opportunity to remain 
at the bottom of the ladder. General ability will no longer 
enable you to rise rapidly to a high position — modern 
industry is too complicated, too specialized, and too 
technical for that. 



general ability and this factory wants persons of 
special ability. 
























184 


CIVICS AT WORK 


264. Special training is becoming a necessity. — The 

point is that if the boys and girls of to-day wish to succeed 
they must secure special training. You must fit in with 
the division of labor by becoming a specialist of one sort or 
another. If your chosen field is technical, as, for example, 
electricity or chemistry, you must provide yourself with 
technical knowledge and skill. 

The need for special training is seen not only in manu¬ 
facturing, commerce, and the trades, but also, in the 
learned professions. Abraham Lincoln became a lawyer 
by reading law cases and observing court practice, but 
this method would hardly prepare a twentieth-century 
youth to take the bar examination. The modern lawyer 
requires skillful and long-continued training if he is to suc¬ 
ceed. The same is true of the modern dentist, clergyman, 
or teacher. 

265. All this means that you have a problem to solve. — 

The preceding section has a direct bearing upon your future. 
You are young, and as yet you have no particular training 
for any one important occupation. Every important occu¬ 
pation demands special skill or training of those who wish 
to enter it and succeed there. The road to your future 
success is therefore blocked, and it will remain blocked until 
you have found some way of securing the training which 
is demanded in the occupation you desire to follow. 

You should lose no time in grappling with this question of 
special training. It must be faced. You cannot expect it 
to disappear if you ignore it, and you cannot expect it to 
settle itself. Nor can you expect your parents or teachers 
to solve this problem. They will help you, of course, but 
it is you who must lead the attack against the obstacle 
which lies in your path. 


THE QUESTION OF SPECIAL TRAINING 185 

Resolve, then, that you are going to get the special training 
which you need. 

266. Poverty need not keep you from getting this train¬ 
ing. — It may be that your parents are poor, but do not 
despair on this account. Go on planning to complete your 
education. Remember that wealth often breeds idleness 
and other bad habits. Many successful men have testified 
to this truth. For example, Arthur Brisbane, the editor, 
has said that “ mil¬ 
lions of men succeed 
in spite of poverty, 
but few succeed in 
spite of wealth.” Like¬ 
wise Mr. F. W. Wool- 
worth, of five-and-ten- 
cent-store fame, de¬ 
clares that he “ did 
not have to overcome 
any handicap of in¬ 
herited wealth, which 
usually takes all am¬ 
bition out of a young 
man.” Other successful men say the same thing. 

Poverty may oblige you to plan carefully and work hard, 
but it need not keep you from securing the special training 
that you require. Health, energy, and good character are 
more important than money. 

267. Beware of the short cut to success. — Let us notice, 
before we go any further, that there are people who claim 
to know of various short cuts to success. These persons 
advertise in popular magazines, offering the “ secret of 
success” for a small sum, or describing books or brief 



Whoever wants us to try a short cut to success is 
tempting us off the highway and into a swamp. 



CIVICS AT WORK 


186 

“ courses ” which are declared to reveal the “ road to riches 
and fame.” Sometimes these people promise to show you 
how to increase your earnings from a few dollars a week to 
thousands of dollars a week ! 

Most of these claims are exaggerated, and many of them 
are absolutely untrue. You will do well to avoid the lures 
of these people. Their literature is full of false optimism. 
They prey upon the ignorance of youth, and take advantage 
of young people’s natural desire to succeed as quickly and 
economically as possible. 

You will come nearer succeeding if you remember that 
there are no short cuts to success. The only road to success 
lies through ability, hard work, and patience. 

268. The school is your greatest opportunity. — The 
school system of your community is without doubt your 
best means of securing the training you need. You may 
think that there is a gap between the school and the world 
beyond the school, but there is no such gap. What you do in 
school is closely related to what you will do after you leave 
school. If you form the habit of getting to school on time, 
you will probably be prompt at whatever life work you 
take up. Again, if you master arithmetic while you are in 
school, you will be just that much better qualified to hold a 
job which requires skill at figuring. 

If you go to work before you finish high school, it is likely 
that you will become an unskilled laborer, either at a fac¬ 
tory bench or at a clerk’s desk. On the other hand, the 
subjects taught in high school will enable you to qualify 
for jobs requiring skill and training. For example, a high 
school education will help you enter training for any of the 
learned professions. The same is true of the better positions 
in trade, commerce, or government service. 


THE QUESTION OF SPECIAL TRAINING 


187 


269. Stay in school as long as possible. — If you are wise, 
you will take every opportunity to use your school. Learn 
to speak and write correctly while you have the opportunity. 
Take courses which promise to help you to prepare for a 
suitable life work. Ask your teachers to advise you. Give 
them a chance to discover and draw out whatever special 
ability you possess. Bear in mind that the great aim of 
your school is to help you lead a successful, happy life after 
you are through with classroom and teacher and desk and 
laboratory. 

In justice to yourself, therefore, stay in school as long as 
possible. You may be restless and impatient, and eager to 
get out into the world, but remember that the more educa¬ 
tion you get now the more you will accomplish when you 
go out to work. 

Figures collected by the United States Government show 
that educated people earn so much more than uneducated 
persons that your future will pay you nine dollars for each 
day that you remain in school during the next few years. 

270. Build upon a liberal foundation. — There is a tend¬ 
ency in some communities to look upon such studies as 
Latin and Ancient History as useless. Now and then we 
hear that subjects of this kind ought to be dropped, so that 
“ practical ” studies could be given more attention. 

This is false reasoning. Such subjects as history and 
language supply a cultural background which will prove 
of the greatest importance to you. They increase your 
knowledge of human nature and human achievement. 
They enrich your personality and add to your attractiveness 
in delicate hidden ways. In short, all these cultural studies 
have the power to turn you into a liberal and intelligent 
person, all of which will help you to succeed in life. One 


CIVICS AT WORK 


188 

reason for the success of our leading doctors, lawyers, engi¬ 
neers, and architects is certainly the fact that their training 
was cultural as well as technical. 

271. Take advantage of the occupational courses offered 
by your school. — In addition to offering cultural subjects, 
the modern school has developed a number of courses which 
are of direct and immediate value to boys and girls who 
must some day earn their own living. Thus the science 
course may be the means of helping you prepare to become 
a chemist, or a biologist, or an expert on sanitation. Prob¬ 
ably your school offers a commercial course, in which case 
you have an opportunity to learn typewriting, shorthand, 
or bookkeeping. Practical agriculture is now taught in 
many schools. Music and art courses are also increasingly 
common. The same may be said of courses in sewing, 
cooking, and housekeeping. 

One or more of these courses may help you in your search 
for the right job, and it may also be that they will give you 
practical training for that job. 

272. Occupational tryouts. — Many schools now offer 
tryout courses in various occupations. By “ tryout ” 
courses we mean courses which permit the student to test 
his ability and liking for different types of work. These 
courses go a step beyond the studies mentioned in the pre¬ 
ceding section, the aim being deliberately to experiment 
with the student for the purpose of helping him toward his 
life work. 

The nature and number of tryout courses varies from 
school to school. Very often they include woodworking 
and carpentry. Printing is a tryout course in many schools, 
as is designing or commercial illustrating. Salesmanship, 
banking practice, the electrical trades, automobile repairing, 


THE QUESTION OF SPECIAL TRAINING 189 


and numerous other occupations may likewise be dealt 
with in tryout courses. 

273. Part-time courses. — A part-time course may be 
defined as one in which the student spends part of his time 
in the schoolroom and part of it in some industrial estab¬ 
lishment outside the school. 

By this method the student 
combines book information on 
an occupation with actual ex¬ 
perience in that type of work. 



A dass in advertising. 


The part-time course is a laboratory method, by which the 
student can apply what he is learning from his books. 

The part-time course is being used to train boys and girls 
in salesmanship, merchandising, manufacturing, and similar 
occupations. For example, the school authorities may 
make arrangements whereby qualified students may alter¬ 
nate class work with work in a local store. The store pays 
these students for the work they do, and after their school 
education is completed the store may hire these students 
as full-time employees. 




















CIVICS AT WORK 


190 

274. What you can do outside of school hours. — There 
is still another way in which you can combine school work 
and occupational training. This is by experimenting with 
different kinds of work outside of school hours. 

If you are interested in printing, editing, or writing, it 
may well be that your school paper can be used to test your 
abilities in this direction. School dramatics may afford 
you a chance to see what you can do in the way of acting, 
or managing a stage. Likewise, you may measure your 
musical ability in connection with the work of the glee club 
or school orchestra or band. 

You might also experiment by hiring out at various types 
of work during your spare time. If you think you might 
like architecture, try getting a job in an architect’s office on 
Saturdays. If construction work appeals to you, perhaps 
you could find a chance to spend your vacation with a 
building gang or on an engineering project. In ways like 
these you might gain valuable experience and at the same 
time earn a considerable amount of money. 

275. After you leave high school. — It would be a good 
idea for you to get as much schooling as possible after you 
leave high school. 

What about going to college? A college training is 
helpful in every walk in life, while for the professions it is 
becoming an absolute necessity. You should give serious 
consideration to the question of going to college. 

Aside from college, there are a number of ways in which 
you can continue your education after you leave high school. 
For example, there are evening schools, continuation schools, 
trade schools, company schools, and business schools. 
Each of these has something to offer in the form of special 
knowledge or skill. 


THE QUESTION OF SPECIAL TRAINING 


191 

276. Working on toward the right job for you. — To bring 
this chapter to a conclusion, we have been examining 
various types of special training. Some of these are offered 
you by the school, and some are open to you outside of 
school hours. In either case this studying and experiment¬ 
ing and testing has the power to help you on toward your 
life work, and in three distinct ways. 

First of all, your investigations will make you familiar 
with various occupations. 

Second, the knowledge thus gained will help you to dis¬ 
cover what type of work you really like and are able to 
accomplish. Thus you can weigh one job against another, 
give further consideration to doubtful jobs, and finally 
eliminate occupations which are not suitable to you. 

Third, your studies in the classroom and your working 
experience outside the school will supply you with knowledge 
and skill which will prove useful when at last you are settled 
in your life work. 


Something for You to Do 

1. Summarize the important points which have been brought out in 

the preceding chapter. Use your own words, and be brief. 

2. Make a brief report to the class upon the life and work of Andrew 

Carnegie. 

3. Make a brief report to the class upon the life and work of Henry 

Ford. 

4. Select, for study, the life and career of some one notable man in 

your community. Explain his achievements, and his ideals. 

5. Discuss the statement that “genius is nothing but hard work.” 

6. Consult a copy of “Who’s Who in America.” What is this 

book? Can you find, listed in its pages, a single case of an 
uneducated person ? 

7. What occupations in your community illustrate the statement 

that “much of our work has become technical”? 


192 


CIVICS AT WORK 


8. Examine the “want ad” columns of your local newspaper, in 

order to discover the type of workers which is most in demand. 

9. Illustrate the statement that “opportunity knocks not once but 

many times.” 

10. In what different ways can a boy earn a part or all of his expenses 
in college? 

n. What are some of the ways in which a girl can earn a part or all 
of her expenses in college? 

12. Collect a number of advertisements which promise a short cut 

to success. Bring these to class for discussion. 

13. It has been said that “ the modern school is a scientific substitute 

for what is called the University of Hard Knocks.” What 
does this mean? 

14. Make a list of the schools in your state which offer some kind of 

occupational training. Briefly describe the scope and work of 
each of these schools. 

15. What preliminary education is required by the colleges in your 

state before a student may enter (a) the school of engineering, 
(b) the dental school, (c) the law course? 

16. Just how much education do you plan to have? Explain. 

17. What different kinds of work have you done outside of school 

hours? What has each of these kinds of work taught you? 

18. What kind of work would you like to experiment with during the 

next summer vacation? 



CHAPTER XIX 


QUALITIES YOU WILL ALWAYS NEED 

277. There is one thing which all jobs have in common. 

— As we saw in an earlier chapter, there are about ten 
thousand jobs from which you may choose your life work. 
These occupations vary from one another in numerous 
ways, and yet there is one thing which is common to all of 
them. This is the demand that you be personally desirable. 

You will discover the truth of this statement when you 
leave school and go in search of a job. No matter what 
sort of a job it is, the people of whom you seek employment 
will want to know a good deal about your personal traits. 
And no matter how skillful or well trained you may be you 
will probably not get the position unless you possess cer¬ 
tain important qualities. Even if you should manage to 
get the job, the chances are that you would not be able to 
hold it, or succeed at it, unless you can meet the tests which 
we are going to discuss in the remainder of this chapter. 

278. No employer will want you unless you are depend¬ 
able. — One of the important qualities which your job will 
demand of you is reliability. Remember what you have 
learned in this text concerning our dependence upon one 
another. Modern work is complex. It is divided up into 
numerous parts. If there is to be a satisfactory result, all 
of these parts must work together, just as the parts of a 
machine must work together. Every human worker is a 
cog in this complex organization. 


193 


194 


CIVICS AT WORK 


When you go out to work, you become one of these cogs. 
You will be required to fit in with numerous other cogs. 
If you do not do your part, you will be as undesirable as an 
automobile which cannot get up a hill, or respond to the 
movements of the steering wheel, or otherwise do what is 
expected of it. In other words, you will be a nuisance, and 
as a result you will probably lose your job. Certainly you 
will not be promoted. 

279. The importance of self-control. — No employer will 
consider you dependable unless you can control yourself. 



It is just as important to be able to control yourself, as it is to control 
a speeding automobile. 


If you have a violent temper, you are as dangerous as a 
boiler which is likely to explode. No one will want you 
around, and no one will feel that you are reliable. 

You should therefore learn to control your temper. 
There will be no indulgent teachers or parents to excuse 
your fits of anger when you are earning your living. This 
is well worth remembering. Take pride in your knowledge 


QUALITIES YOU WILL ALWAYS NEED 195 

and skill, but do not make the mistake of thinking that these 
assets will persuade your employer to overlook an unruly 
temper. 

Of course, it may be that you have already learned to 
control yourself under trying circumstances. If you have, 
the two preceding paragraphs should cause you to con¬ 
gratulate yourself most heartily. 

280. What it means to be honest. — Many young people 
believe that honesty means simply to refrain from stealing 
money from others. However, the term is wider than this, 
for honesty means to be fair and upright in all ways. 

You must be honest in order to succeed at your work. 

For example, you will have to treat your job fairly, if you 
expect to get ahead. Do not deceive your employer, even 
in little things or in indirect ways. Never mind watching 
the clock, but do justice to your work. 

In addition to your employer, there is a second person 
with whom your job requires you to be honest. This 
second person is yourself. Does this statement surprise 
you? It ought not to, because it is easy to understand 
that you cannot get ahead in your work if you neglect your 
health or abuse your .strength. If you form bad habits, you 
are being unfair to yourself, for the simple reason that bad 
habits make it harder for you to do your work. See if 
you cannot treat yourself with honesty and justice in all 
things. 

281. Why promptness is a virtue. — Promptness is a 
part of the larger virtue which we have called reliability. 
Modern business requires each individual to do his share 
in a complicated scheme of things, and this often makes it 
necessary for tasks to be done at a particular time. To 
give a single example, a locomotive engineer must perform 


!q6 civics at work 

his tasks on time, otherwise he may wreck his train and 
cause untold damage. 

It is the same in other occupations. Promptness is in 
universal demand. If you are going to succeed in life, you 
will have to learn to be on time. You will have to learn to 
appear at a stated time, and to do your work within a cer¬ 
tain period, and to keep appointments at the hour which 
has been set. 

So you can see that when your parents or your teachers 
demand promptness of you they are really helping you to 
form a valuable habit. 

282. The call for accuracy. — Nothing is more annoying 
than an employee who is not accurate in his work. A 
bookkeeper who makes frequent errors not only inconven¬ 
iences himself, but often makes trouble for his fellow- 
workers. Cashiers, accountants, record clerks, — such 
people as these are expected to be accurate, and if they are 
not it is likely that they will be asked to give place to 
persons who are accurate. 

Nor is the call for accuracy confined to occupations in 
which there is a great deal of figuring and accounting. All 
jobs demand accuracy. The steam engineer must be accu¬ 
rate in handling his boiler, the surgeon in handling his 
instruments, the druggist in filling prescriptions. Accuracy 
is like promptness in that it is in universal demand. For 
this reason you will do well to get in the habit of doing 
careful work while you are still in school. 

283. Initiative is an important quality. — By initiative 
is meant the ability to take the lead, particularly in origi¬ 
nating and developing new ideas. Initiative is a valuable 
quality, and whoever possesses it is much more likely to 
succeed than would otherwise be the case. It is the people 


QUALITIES YOU WILL ALWAYS NEED 


197 


who initiate improvements in automobiles, or office work, 
or salesmanship, who are rewarded by greater earnings. 

A great deal can be done to cultivate initiative. You 
might try to think of new and better ways of accomplishing 
your work. Do not imagine an idea to be worthless simply 
because you originated it. Test it out. Give it a chance. 
Perhaps it may prove to be of value to your employer, in 
which case you may be in line for a reward of one kind or 
another. Study your surroundings, therefore, and make 
an effort to develop 
the valuable quality 
of initiative. 

284. The value of 
good judgment.— 

The term “ good 
judgment ” has a 
wide meaning. For 
one thing, it means 
common sense. Good 
judgment is likewise 
the ability to weigh 
different matters and 
give each its proper value. People are said to possess 
good judgment if they are in the habit of rejecting worth¬ 
less ideas and accepting important ideas. The man or 
woman who acts wisely in time of confusion or crisis may 
be said to be showing good judgment. 

All this concerns you. While you are young your parents 
take the responsibility for your actions, but now you are 
fast approaching the time when you yourself will have to 
accept this responsibility. You will have to decide things 
for yourself, not only in your private life but in your work. 


'■**1 rH'r 





You will never find wisdom like this. On the 
contrary, you will have to earn it, by steadily 
developing good judgment. 







CIVICS AT WORK 


198 

If you wish to succeed, you must do everything you can to 
acquire good judgment. Know what you are doing. Get 
information on disputed points. Try to foresee the effects 
of your decisions. Reflect well before you settle important 
questions. 

285. Train yourself to be adaptable. — An adaptable 
person is one who can adjust himself to new conditions. 

If you are ever employed in an office or mill or factory 
or store, you will find it necessary to fit in with the methods 
and ideals of your employer. You will have to take orders. 
Moreover, you may have to execute these orders in a cer¬ 
tain definite manner, regardless of your personal views. 

Are there any jobs in which it is unnecessary to be adapt¬ 
able? No. Even the “ independent ” business man must 
adapt himself to the conditions of his work. He must fit 
in with the needs and wishes of his customers. Likewise 
he must adjust himself to the actions of his competitors. 
As for professional people, they all must adapt themselves, 
the lawyer to his clients, the clergyman to his congregation, 
the engineer to the people who work with him. 

Where can you train yourself to be adaptable? In 
school. Learn to fit in with your teachers and your class¬ 
mates and you will be preparing to get along with your job 
after you leave school. 

286. Willingness is a valuable trait.—A grudging 
nature would retard your progress. If you act as though 
you hated your work, that fact will soon become apparent 
to your employer. Again, if you are fearful of doing more 
than your share, it will not be long before this will be marked 
down against you. Sullenness, a tendency to complain, 
and the habit of doing things half-heartedly, — all these 
things would help to ruin your chances in the world of work. 


QUALITIES YOU WILL ALWAYS NEED 199 

On the other hand, nothing will recommend you more 
quickly than a whole-hearted desire to do your work and 
do it well. A willing worker brightens every one around 
him and attracts the favorable attention of his employer. 
Again, he who is always ready to work will find that his 
tasks are easier on that account. 

Do you perform your school tasks willingly ? If you do, 
you are even now preparing to succeed at the occupation 
you will follow after you leave school. 

287. It pays to be cheerful. — What is meant by being 
cheerful? Certainly we do not mean the practice of con¬ 
tinually smiling, or indulging in inappropriate jokes, or 
declaring that “ things couldn’t be better ” when it is 
apparent that they could. 

On the contrary, true cheerfulness consists of good spirits 
under restraint. You are being cheerful when your manner 
is bright and pleasant, and when you make a sensible use 
of a sincere smile. All this helps. Good spirits give us 
new energy. Beethoven, the great composer, said that the 
habit of optimism enabled him to compose some of his best 
music, even though he lost his hearing at an early age. 
People used to laugh at Robert Fulton, but he had courage 
and a sense of humor, and so he kept on working until he 
had made his steamboat a success. 

288. Courtesy is a good investment. — Few investments 
are as safe as courtesy, for no sooner do you make an outlay 
in the form of politeness than you begin to get returns. If 
you invest in a kind act, you generally get a “ thank you ” 
in return, and if you make a habit of investing in politeness, 
you will find that all sorts of favor will begin to come your 
way. Employers respond to courtesy. So does the public. 

Courtesy is something which every one should practice, 


200 


CIVICS AT WORK 


not only for the sake of others, but for his own sake. Rude¬ 
ness keeps us from being attractive to other people. It 
sours our dispositions, and tends to make us fretful and 
cross. On the other hand, the practice of treating every one 
kindly will not only make our associates feel better, but it 
will improve our own spirits and efficiency. 

289. Practice makes perfect. — It is possible that you 
are beginning to think this chapter is asking a great deal of 

you. You have been 
advised to become 
dependable, and to 
control yourself. In 
addition you are 
asked to be honest 
and prompt and ac¬ 
curate in your work, 
to develop initiative 
and judgment, and to 
be adaptable, willing, 
cheerful, and courte¬ 
ous. Surely this is 
asking a great deal. 

But then you are not asked to achieve all this in a day, or 
a week, or a month, or even a year. Remember what the 
hands of the clock said to the pendulum. Remember, too, 
that you already have made progress in such matters as 
dependability and self-control. What this chapter is really 
suggesting is that you go on practicing these qualities, in 
order that you may improve your chances of a happy and 
successful life. Be content to progress slowly in this diffi¬ 
cult but necessary task of making yourself personally 
desirable as a worker. Practice makes perfect. 



A woman customer is telling the manager how 
delightfully courteous she has found the clerk in the 
background. 









QUALITIES YOU WILL ALWAYS NEED 


201 


Something for You to Do 

1. Summarize the important points which have been brought out in 

the preceding chapter. Use your own words, and be brief. 

2. What is a letter of recommendation? What type of jobs do not 

require letters of recommendation? What kind of jobs do 
require them? 

3. Draw upon your own observation for three examples of the fact 

that the specialist must be dependable. 

4. People who indulge in liquor are generally unreliable. Why is 

this? 

5. Give an illustration of the harmful effects of a bad temper. 

6 . Discuss the statement that “the employee who keeps watching 

the clock is .unfair to himself.” 

7. What is the relation of smoking cigarettes to efficiency? 

8. Can you remember any cases in which you made trouble for your¬ 

self and others by not being prompt ? Explain. 

9. What can be done to cultivate the habit of promptness? How 

does your school help you to be prompt ? 

10. In what different ways does school train you to be accurate? 

11. In what way is experience necessary to the development of good 

judgment ? Give an example. 

12. Show that the following persons must be adaptable in order to 

succeed: an architect, a stenographer, a salesman, a house¬ 
keeper, a truck-driver, and a milliner. 

13. To what extent is a person’s unwillingness at his work a sign that 

he has not yet found the right job for him ? 

14. Can cheerfulness be acquired by a person who is “gloomy and 

pessimistic by nature” ? Explain. 

15. Find out what your local stores require of their salespeople by 

way of courtesy. 

16. Are the street-car conductors in your community in the habit of 

being polite to the public ? Explain. 

17. Can you think of any qualities which are necessary to success, 

but which are not mentioned in this chapter ? 


CHAPTER XX 


WHAT ABOUT PROMOTION IN YOUR WORK? 

290. Does promotion depend upon luck ? — The choice 
of a job is an important matter, and the same may be said 
of getting the special training which this job requires. 

There is, however, 
still another problem 
which you must solve, 
— namely, the prob¬ 
lem of advancing in 
your chosen work. 

It may be that 
you believe success 
to depend chiefly or 
entirely upon luck. 
Perhaps you have 
known cases in which 
capable hard-working 
people have failed to 
be promoted, while 
less capable persons 
have been rapidly advanced. It may be that you know of 
people who appear to have been bom under a lucky star, 
because the good things of life seem to come to them 
without effort or merit on their part. All such cases as 
these may tempt you to believe that advancement depends 
upon luck, rather than upon merit. 



The boys in the street think this man’s success is due 
to luck, but this is not necessarily true. 


202 




































WHAT ABOUT PROMOTION IN YOUR WORK? 203 


291. The truth of this matter. — The fact is that success 
depends upon a number of things. It depends partly upon 
the occupation you are following, because some types of 
work offer greater chances for advancement than do others. 
In some cases promotion can be traced to a fortunate turn 
of events, although of course these “ lucky chances ” will 
not bring you promotion if you are incapable. Indeed, 
no permanent advancement can be yours unless you are 
worthy. 

We may go a step further and say that what you are and 
what you do will influence your future success more than 
all other factors combined. If your job is really suited to 
your abilities and temperament, you are in a fair way to 
succeed. You will be helped to advance if you will culti¬ 
vate the qualities which we discussed in the preceding 
chapter. In addition, there are certain other ways in which 
you can prepare yourself for promotion, as we may now 
notice in detail. 

292. Keep your health. — One thing is certain, and that 
is that you will not get very far in this world unless you 
keep your health. \ our bodily and mental powers are the 
tools you work with, and if these tools are blunted or broken 
you are just that much less efficient. Different jobs make 
different demands upon health, but there is no occupation 
which does not gain from the fact that its followers are 
sound in body and mind. 

Therefore, be patient when you are told again and again 
that you ought to keep your health. This constant advice 
is necessary, because young people have such an abundance 
of health that they are apt to be careless of it. The pomt 
is, however, that you will not continue to have abundant 
health unless you take care of yourself while you are still 


204 


CIVICS AT WORK 


young. Keep fit. How is this to be done ? By observing 
the health hints which we mentioned in Section 61 of this 
text. Look them up if you have forgotten them. 

293. Do not resort to bluffing. — You have probably 
known people who go through life pretending to be more 
than they are. These people are insincere in their manner, 
vain of their abilities, and downright untruthful concerning 
their prospects. Sham and bluffing make up the stock-in- 
trade of persons of this sort. 

Do not make the mistake of imitating these people. If 
you do, the world will see through your falseness as easily as 
you now see through the make-believe of a two-year-old 
child. Your employer will mistrust you and your fellow 
workers will ridicule you. Whatever you do, be sincere. 
See that you actually are what you claim you are. Avoid 
boasting. If you long to be looked upon as superior, stop 
talking about it, so that you can devote your thought 
and energy to improving yourself. 

294. Guard your reputation. — Many a man has been 
ruined by a single questionable act. Perhaps he has broken 
the law, or made a scene in public, or become tangled in 
scandal. At any rate he gains a bad name. Little by 
little his good reputation ebbs away. Black spots appear 
on his record. He is undesirable as a workman, even though 
he may be skillful and industrious. His friends do not like 
to recommend him. He is never promoted, and is always 
in danger of losing his job. 

The value of a good name was recently discussed by a 
well-known manufacturer. “ I am what the world calls 
successful,” said this man" “ yet I once came near wrecking 
my career by running about with a disreputable friend. 
He was reckless and I was careless — or, rather, I was until 


WHAT ABOUT PROMOTION IN. YOUR WORK? 205 

he lost his job and had to leave the city. Then .1 realized 
the value of a good name, and ever since then I have care¬ 
fully guarded my reputation. I treasure it far more than 
I do my millions.” 

295. All tasks are important, even small ones. — An 

employer once said of a young man whom he had just 
discharged, “ He wants to begin at the top of the ladder 
and keep on going up.” The employer, of course, knew 
that this was impossible. He knew from experience that 
young people must be satisfied to master the small job 
first, and only gradually work up to important positions. 

Do not make the mistake of scorning the “ unimportant ” 
task. It may be the first rung of the ladder of success. 
Andrew Carnegie used to empty waste baskets. Henry 
Ford used to kindle fires. John D. Rockefeller used to 
sweep out the office. These men were faithful in small 
things, and that is one reason why they succeeded. Pat¬ 
tern after them, and pattern after Hezekiah, who, in every 
work that he began, “ did it with all his heart, and pros¬ 
pered.” The small task is still as important as it was in 
Bible days. 

296. Never give up studying. — Modern life is con¬ 
stantly changing and growing and developing. Every year 
sees new advances in medicine, law, teaching, engineering, 
and the other professions. Commerce, the trades, and 
manufacturing likewise make progress, and as they ad¬ 
vance they demand improvement of their employees. As 
a consequence, it is the progressive worker who is pro¬ 
moted, while the unambitious plodder is allowed to stay 
in his rut. 

Although you may look forward to leaving school, there¬ 
fore, you should not look forward to giving up the habit 


206 


CIVICS AT WORK 


of study. Whatever your work may be, it will offer you 
success only if you are willing, to keep up with the technical 
advances which are being made in it. If you want to ad¬ 
vance, you will have to make a practice of reading books 
and magazines which will help you in your special calling. 
There is such a thing as being ready for promotion. 

297. Persistence versus brilliance. — Rejoice if you 
learn easily, but do not be misled by this ability. Brilliance 



v 

This hare is swifter than the tortoise, but it is worth noting that the 
tortoise is ahead! 


the hare, and resolve not to underestimate the importance 
of slow careful work. 

It may be that there is nothing romantic about persist¬ 
ence ; nevertheless, it is a most valuable quality. Indeed, 
it is probable that more people succeed because of per¬ 
sistence than because of brilliance. Whether you learn 
easily or with difficulty, therefore, you will do well to cul¬ 
tivate endurance, patience, and the ability to go on with 
your work in spite of difficulties. 






WHAT ABOUT PROMOTION IN YOUR WORK? 207 

298. The meaning of thrift. — What is your idea of the 
meaning of thrift? Do you think of it as only the prac¬ 
tice of saving money? If you do, you need to enlarge 
your view, for thrift concerns more than the handling of 
money. 

Saving money is one example of thrift, but it is also 
possible to be thrifty in spending money. Thus when we 
buy only what we need we are practicing thrift. Further¬ 
more, the more wisely we buy what is necessary the more 
thrifty we are. 

The careful use of food, clothing, and other goods is 
another example of thrift. There is really no difference 
between being careful of money and being careful of the 
things we have received in exchange for our money. 

Again, we are being thrifty when we conserve our strength 
and safeguard our health, for in both of these ways we are 
making it possible for us to thrive and grow prosperous. 

299. How thrift can help you at your work. — Sup¬ 
pose that you wish to be a college professor, or an architect, 
or a lawyer. In order to realize your ambition you will 
need special training. This training is expensive, but if 
you are in the habit of being thrifty you are already some 
distance toward achieving your end. Thrift will enable 
you, not only to save money and clothes, but to make an 
economical use of your time and energy. All this will help 
you get the special education you need. 

Children are sometimes ashamed of appearing economical, 
but you will find that mature people will respect and admire 
you for being thrifty. For instance, if you are thrifty, this 
will soon be apparent to your employer. He will see that 
you are careful of his tools, materials, and other property, 
and he will accordingly consider you a valuable helper. 


208 


CIVICS AT WORK 


Other things being equal, it is the thrifty boy or girl that is 
marked for promotion at an early opportunity. 

300. Make a friend of habit. — We spoke of habit earlier 
in this text, but it deserves mention a second time — and 
many times beyond that, because habit offers a way of light¬ 
ening all your cares. As you no doubt know from experi¬ 
ence, your home tasks are easier once you have made a prac¬ 
tice of doing them regularly. Likewise your lessons at 

school are certainly 
less of a burden than 
they would be if you 
were not in the habit 
of studying. 

When you go out to 
work you will discover 
that good habits are 
just as valuable as 
they have been at 

Here is a stenographer who is dull and sleepy, home and at School. 
because of a party the night before. She cannot Industry demands peo- 
do justice to her work, as her employer is beginning , . . 

to realize. P le who can Work 

steadily. Employers 
want young men and young women who have good habits, 
because no one can be dependable and thoroughly efficient 
without such habits. 

301. The use of leisure time. — Again, your future 
success will depend, in some measure, upon the use you 
make of your leisure time. 

Thus your advancement may be held back because you 
make a wrong use of the hours and days that you have free 
from work. If you idle away the evenings, and Saturday 
afternoons, and holidays, then of course you are doing 







WHAT ABOUT PROMOTION IN YOUR WORK? 209 

nothing to increase your efficiency in your work. If you 
use your leisure time to indulge in vice and other harmful 
activities, you are still further reducing your chances of 
advancing in your work. 

On the other hand, a proper use of leisure time will do a 
great deal toward helping you on to success. Play and rest, 
by all means, but do not waste your time. Keep away 
from vice. Do at least a moderate amount of reading and 
studying, in order to keep up with the advances which are. 
being made in your occupation. In short, make your lei¬ 
sure hours count for something toward your future. 

302. Apply what you have learned about teamwork. — 
You will perhaps remember that training in teamwork is 
one of the great advantages of play. Basket-ball, baseball, 
and numerous other games teach you the necessity of 
cooperating with other people. 

When you go out to work you will have a chance to show 
how well you have learned this lesson, because cooperation 
is as important in work as it is in play. Most modern busi¬ 
nesses are large and complex. A great many persons may 
be employed by a single concern. All these people must 
work together, and if you become one of them you, too, 
must cooperate. You will have to make yourself agreeable, 
and do many things you dislike, and conceal your annoy¬ 
ance, and help along willingly with the work in hand. In 
other words, you will be obliged to work with the “ team.” 

303. Finally, there is no substitute for hard work.— 
The celebrated naturalist, Henri Fabre, was once asked to 
explain the secret of his success. “ Hard work,” was his 
reply. His questioners were astonished, for it seemed to 
them impossible that any amount of work could build up 
such fame. 


210 


CIVICS AT WORK 


Yet why not? Hard work can accomplish wonders, — 
provided, of course, that it is also intelligent. Hard work of 
this kind has the power to overcome the handicap of physical 
weakness, and it can go a long way toward helping a com¬ 
monplace mind to achieve brilliant results. The most diffi¬ 
cult problems yield to hard work, the greatest obstacles 
dwindle before its attack. No better advice can be given 
a boy or girl than this : Do not try to find a substitute for good 
old-fashioned hard work , because there is none. 

304. A brief review of what has gone before. — This 
chapter completes Part II of our text. We began by dis¬ 
cussing the meaning of work, and then we surveyed the 
types of occupations from which you will probably choose 
your job. An entire chapter was devoted to the problem 
of making a wise choice of a life work. Another chapter 
was given to the question of special training. We out¬ 
lined the qualities which you will always need, and then in 
this present chapter we studied the methods by which you 
may advance in your chosen field. 

Now we are ready for the third and last division of our 
subject. This third section is entitled “ Taking Your Place 
in the Community.” You are an individual, but you are also 
a part of the community. You are interested in your own 
personal problems, but you must also be interested in the 
problems of your community. Why do we say “ must ” ? 
This question we shall endeavor to answer in the next chapter. 

Something for You to Do 

i. Review Chapters XVI-XX and then prepare a brief answer to 

each of the following questions: 

(a) What is the best method of choosing my life work ? 

(b) What is the best method of preparing for my life work ? 

(c) What is the best method of progressing in my life work ? 


WHAT ABOUT PROMOTION IN YOUR WORK? 211 


2. Explain the statement that “the time to take care of your health 

is while you still have it.” 

3. What is the difference between character and reputation? 

4. Is it possible to live down a bad record? Explain. 

5. What are the advantages of reading the daily newspaper regu¬ 

larly? 

6. In what different ways could you make use of your public library 

after you leave school and go to work ? 

7. How may the spirit of impatience keep you from succeeding in 

life? 

8. Find out what the banks in your community do toward encourag¬ 

ing thrift. 

9. What is meant by a budget ? What is the value of a budget ? 

10. What is meant by “living beyond one’s income”? What is the 

cause of this ? 

11. Illustrate the statement that “it does not take an employer long 

to discover whether his workmen have good habits or bad 
habits.” 

12. How do you spend your leisure time? Do you think you could 

spend it to greater advantage than at present ? 

13. Give an example of teamwork in an office. 

14. How may envy interfere with a person’s ability to take part in 

teamwork ? 

15. Is it necessary for an employee to put aside his ambitions if his 

job requires teamwork of him ? Explain. 

16. Interview one or more prominent persons in your community, 

as, for example, a well-known merchant or manufacturer, in 
order to ask them for their “secret of success.” 

17. Turn to the table of contents at the beginning of this text and 

examine the titles of Chapters XXI-XXV. Which of these 
titles interests you most ? Why ? 


PART III—TAKING YOUR PLACE IN THE 
COMMUNITY 


A. THE WORLD IS CALLING YOU 

CHAPTER XXI 

THE TWO SIDES OF A COIN 

305. We all talk a great deal about our rights. — We 

may begin this new division of our text by noticing that 
people generally have a good deal to say about their rights. 

For example, a boy may say that he has a right to be 
noisy in the street, if he so desires. Sometimes a man will 
maintain that he has a right to let his dog run loose in 
the streets. Women often complain that their rights are 
ignored in the hurry and press of a bargain sale. Again, 
idlers who lounge about the streets may insist that the 
policeman has no right to order them to move on. 

Talk of this sort brings up the important question of what 
our rights actually are and are not. Let us see about this. 

306. Some rights are said to be “ natural.” — History 
tells us that people were talking of their rights many ages 
ago. The discussion went on and on from one century to 
another, until at length the defenders of liberty developed 
what is known as the doctrine of natural rights. A doc¬ 
trine, of course, is an important personal belief which is 
widely taught to other people. 

According to the doctrine of natural rights, all human 


212 


THE TWO SIDES OF A COIN 


213 


beings possess certain rights which are natural. By natural 
we mean that these rights are given to people by God, at 
the time of their birth. These natural rights were declared 
to be inviolable, which means that they may not be taken 
away or weakened or otherwise injured. Finally, these 
rights were said to be inalienable, that is to say, they could 
not be given up by the persons possessing them. 

307. This doctrine aided us in our struggle for inde¬ 
pendence. — The doctrine of natural rights was well known 
at the time that Europe was colonizing the newly-discovered 
land of America. Thus our forefathers knew of this doc¬ 
trine, and when later they fell to disputing with Great 
Britain they insisted upon their natural rights. When the 
mother country refused to meet the demands of the colo¬ 
nists, the colonists drew up the famous Declaration of Inde¬ 
pendence. In this document the doctrine of natural rights 
is referred to in the following words: 

“ We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men 
are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator 
with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, 
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” 

308. What does this mean? —The preceding extract 
from the Declaration was intended to be clear, neverthe¬ 
less, it has given rise to a great deal of dispute. Some 
people have interpreted the statement one way, and some 

another, each side insisting that it is right and others are 

* 

wrong. 

According to one of these interpretations the meaning of 
the above-mentioned extract is this: Every human being 
has a natural right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happi¬ 
ness, and this right cannot be taken away, or weakened, or 
suspended in any way. 


214 


CIVICS AT WORK 


Why have we singled out this particular interpretation ? 
Because it is dangerous to the community, and must there¬ 
fore be examined and shown to be a wrong explanation of 
the extract which we have taken from the Declaration of 
Independence. 

Let us explain this. 

309. The right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happi¬ 
ness. — In the first place, have we a right to life ? Cer¬ 
tainly we have, but then we must not abuse this right. 
The right to life is being abused when criminals deprive 
other persons of life, and this is why some of our states 
inflict the death penalty upon murderers. 

What about the right to liberty? The answer is that we 
have a right to liberty, providing we do not abuse it. Just 
imagine an armed maniac declaring that he has a right to 
liberty! Or a drunken automobile driver, or a chronic 
thief! Common sense tells us that the right to liberty 
must be qualified in such cases as these. 

Finally, there is the right to happiness. Most assuredly 
we have a right to search for what will make us happy, but 
this search must not interfere with the privileges of other 
people. Thus, if your idea of happiness is to play a cornet 
at three o’clock in the morning, your neighbors may object, 
and if the case goes to court, the magistrate will probably 
uphold them. 

310. The point is that we cannot always do as we like. — 

It must be clear, from what has been said, that we cannot 
always do as we like. For example, no one member of a 
family can safely be permitted to suit himself in all matters. 
Nor can students at school be allowed to do as they please. 
The same is true when people use the street, or gather in 
public buildings, or work in offices or stores or mills. Think 


THE TWO SIDES OF A COIN 


215 


of the noise, confusion, inefficiency, and serious trouble 
which would follow if we always acted precisely as we 
wanted to! 

No, it is impossible. We do not live alone and separately, 
but in. communities. It is absolutely necessary for us to 
get along with one another, and accordingly our actions 
must be restrained. If our rights conflict with the welfare 
of other people, there must be some way of settling the dis¬ 
pute, in order that we may continue to get along in an 
orderly way. In short, there must be some sort of an 
umpire to decide just how far our rights extend. 

311. Who should be the umpire in cases of this kind ? — 
People often settle their disputes among themselves, but 
suppose that one party refuses to come to an agreement? 
In such a case the dispute continues. If the dispute is 
between members of the same family, the father may decide 
matters; but a settlement is unlikely if the dispute is 
between members of different families. Likewise the school 
and the church may often arrange matters among their 
respective members, yet neither the school nor the church 
can do much about a dispute which involves other persons. 
What is needed, therefore, is an umpire with authority over 
all the members of the community. 

This is why we have agreed to let our government settle 
the disputes which arise among us. The government is a 
safe umpire because it is really ourselves, acting through 
the officials we choose and maintain in'office. Every mem¬ 
ber of the community is subject to the authority of the gov¬ 
ernment, so that every one of us must expect to heed its 
decisions. Finally, the government is the proper umpire 
because it has the power to force unruly people to obey its 
commands. 


2l6 


CIVICS AT WORK 


312. How the government settles this problem of rights. 

— You will find, then, that our serious disputes are settled 
by some branch or department of our government. This 
does not mean that the government is constantly interfer¬ 
ing in our affairs. On the contrary, the aim of the govern¬ 
ment is to leave us as free as possible, and to interfere only 
in cases of necessity. To give a single example, your com¬ 
munity did not pass traffic regulations until after travel 
became so heavy that some sort of rules were necessary to 
keep order and settle disputes. 

Furthermore, the government attempts to settle our dis¬ 
putes in such a way as to be fair to all parties concerned. 
Thus if you insist that you have a right to play a cornet at 
three o’clock in the morning, the judge or police officer who 
settles this matter will consider, not only your rights but the 
rights of the people who have objected to your playing. 
He will try to be fair to your neighbors as well as to you, 
because your neighbors are members of the community, 
just as you are, and hence they are entitled to just as much 
consideration as you are. 

313. The two sides of a coin. — If you have mastered 
the preceding paragraph, you will easily see that your rights 
must be adjusted to the rights of other people. If you say 
you have a right to be noisy, your neighbor may say he has 
a right to enjoy quiet. If the matter comes to the police 
court, the judge may decide that this “ right ” of yours 
works a hardship upon your neighbor, so that it is your 
duty to be orderly. 

For every right there is a corresponding duty. The two are 
inseparable. They are like the two sides of a coin. If you 
accept a coin you accept both of its sides; likewise, if you 
assume a right, you cannot avoid assuming the duty which 


THE TWO SIDES OF A COIN 


217 


goes with it. By turning a coin you will be able to see its 
other side, and by slightly altering your view of life you 
will be able to see that the other side of “right” is “ duty.” 

314. This brings us to the idea of a citizen. — A citizen 
may be defined as a member of a political community. 
Every citizen owes allegiance to his government, and in 
return is entitled to such privileges as the protection of his 
life, liberty, and property. Citizenship in this country is 
described by the Fourteenth Amendment to the Federal 
Constitution, as follows : “ All persons born or naturalized 
in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, 
are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein 
they reside.” 

This means that you are a citizen, because you were born 
within the limits of the United States. You are a member 
of the nation, and you are also a member of the state in 
which you live. Like all other citizens you have a right 
to protection, but in return it is your duty to be loyal to your 
government. Citizenship is another case of a coin with 
two sides. 

315. You are moving toward a richer citizenship. 

The preceding chapters of this text have described many 
ways in which you are now sharing in community life. As 
you grow older the role you play in community affairs will 
be even more important. Thus when you become of age 
you will begin to exert a vital influence upon such matters 
as law, politics, and government. You will be permitted 
to vote. Again, it may be that some day you will hold a 
political office, and in this way help to manage the affairs 
of the city, state, or nation. 

All this means that the older you grow the more impor¬ 
tant your citizenship will become. Of course it is impor- 


2l8 


CIVICS AT WORK 


tant now , but the point is that until you are of age you are 
like a person who belongs to a club without as yet enjoying 
the highest degree of membership. Just as you can grow 
into full club membership, so you are going to grow into 
the riches of citizenship. 

316. The duties of the citizen. — Surely you have not 
forgotten that the community has done a great deal for you. 
Your community has protected you, and it has trained you. 
You are in debt for all this, yet it is within your power 
to discharge this indebtedness. How? By fulfilling the 
duties of a citizen, and thereby making yourself an efficient 
and reliable member of the community. 

The duties of citizenship make up the other side of a 
“ coin.” So far in this text we have emphasized your 
rights and privileges, now we are going to look at the “ duty 
side ” of your life. We must see what you must do for the 
community , by way of payment for what it has done for 
you and what it is going to continue to do for you. 

One way in which you can repay the community is to 
obey its laws. This duty we shall discuss in detail in the 
next chapter. 

Something for You to Do 

1. Summarize the important points which have been brought out in 

the preceding chapter. Use your own words, and be brief. 

2. Debate the following question, “Resolved, that all human beings 

are created equal.” 

3. What is capital punishment? Is it practiced in your state? 

What about neighboring states ? 

4. Make a list of the various ways in which a person may abuse his 

right to liberty. 

5. Give three examples of a wrong use of the right to pursue happi¬ 


ness. 


THE TWO SIDES OF A COIN 


219 


6. What is the difference between a right and a privilege? 

7. Illustrate the statement that “a government is a government in 

name only unless it has the power to force people to obey its 
decisions.” 

8. What is anarchy? Do you think we would be able to do as we 

pleased if we lived in a condition of anarchy ? Explain. 

9. Suppose that on a windy day a man wishes to build a fire on his 

own property for the purpose of burning rubbish. Have the 
neighbors a right to object? Give your reasons. 

10. Just what is meant by “ allegiance to our government ” ? Explain 

clearly. 

11. In what three ways can you prove your allegiance to your gov¬ 

ernment ? 

12. Are there any exceptions to the rule that all persons born in the 

United States are citizens thereof? Explain. 

13. Explain carefully the process by which foreigners may be natu¬ 

ralized as citizens of the United States. 

14. Debate the following question, “Resolved, that all aliens living 

in the United States ought to be obliged to become citizens or 
else return at once to their native land.” 

15. Do you think our naturalization laws are too strict? Do you 

think they are too lax? Explain. 

16. To what extent do we still permit foreign people to come to this 

country to live? 

17. Which of our governments — local, state, or national — controls 

immigration into this country ? Why ? 


CHAPTER XXII 


WHY WE MUST OBEY THE LAW 

317. The meaning of law. — If you and your friends 
were to organize a club, it would not be long before the 
members of this organization made rules to help them get 
along together. 

The same procedure was followed when your community 
was organized. A number of people wished to live together 
as friendly neighbors, and in order to do this they agreed to 
observe certain rules. These rules were put into written 
form, and were known as ordinances or laws. 

As your community grew the number of these laws 
increased, for the simple reason that there were now more 
problems to be settled. Certain members of the community 
were selected to pass or enact laws for the control of the 
community as a whole, until in time there grew to be a mass 
of ordinances, regulations, and laws which were referred to 
simply as the “ law.” 

318. Who decides what laws shall be adopted ? — You 

may have forgotten, but in one of the early chapters of this 
text we said that our communities were of three general 
sizes. First, there is the local community, as, for example, 
the town or city or county in which you make your home. 
Then there is a larger community called the state, for 
instance, Texas, Maine, or Georgia, as the case may be. 
Finally, there is the United States of America, which 
includes all of the states of the Union. 


220 


WHY WE MUST OBEY THE LAW 


221 


Each of these communities has a government, and in 
every case certain of the agents of this government have 
what we call legislative powers. To have legislative powers 
means to be able to pass laws for the community. Thus 
you will find that certain of the public officials in your city 
or town have the right to pass rules for the regulation of 
the local community. In a similar way, your state govern¬ 
ment includes a legislature, which has the power to pass 
laws for the benefit of the people of the state. Finally, 
there is a national legislature, called Congress, which passes 
laws for the government of the nation as a whole. 

319. You are subject to three sets of laws. — The pre¬ 
ceding paragraph means that you live under three different 
sets of laws. 

First of all, you are subject to the laws of your local com¬ 
munity, as, for example, its health regulations, traffic ordi¬ 
nances, and fire laws. 

In the second place, your local community is a part of the 
state in which it is physically located, and hence you are 
subject to the laws adopted by the state government. To 
give a single example, you must observe the compulsory 
school attendance law which is in force in your state. 

Third, your state is a part of the Union, and therefore 
you are subject to the laws of the United States Government. 
For instance, you are expected to observe the federal law 
which forbids tampering with mail boxes. 

320. Why all sensible people are willing to obey the law. 
— We are surrounded by laws of one kind or another; 
nevertheless, all sensible people obey these laws as a matter 
of course. There are two reasons for this. 

One reason for obeying the law is that we ourselves are 
really the power and authority behind it. Our legislators are 


222 


CIVICS AT WORK 


simply our hired agents or representatives. They have no 
power except what the people choose to give them; there¬ 
fore, the laws passed by these legislators really come from 
us.' When we obey the law we are observing our law. 

Another reason for obeying the law is that obedience to 
law helps each one of us to lead a safe, happy, and efficient 


life. The purpose 
of law is to keep 
order, reduce acci¬ 
dents, protect us from 
crime, and otherwise 
help us. We benefit 
ourselves when we 
obey the law. 



321. Yet the law is 
sometimes violated. 

— No matter how 
beneficial a rule may 
be, there are always 
a few people who 
ignore it, or violate 
it outright. This is 


This sign ought to be enough to keep every one 
from trespassing on this property. 


true of club rules, it is true of church regulations, and it 
is true of the laws of the community. 

As a result we have such serious crimes as robbery and 
assault, as well as a host of minor offenses, such as selling 
liquor and disturbing the peace. Violations of traffic ordi¬ 
nances and the failure to observe the health regulations of 
the community are further examples of lawlessness. 

How shall we explain these lawless acts ? How shall we 
bring about a universal obedience to law ? Here is a grave 
problem, into which we shall do well to inquire. 























WHY WE MUST OBEY THE LAW 


223 


322. Lawlessness is sometimes due to lack of enforcing 
machinery. — Most people willingly observe a law as soon 
as it is passed and declared to be in effect. A few persons, 
however, will not obey it until they are obliged to do so. 
Thus a new law may require special officers for its enforce¬ 
ment, in which case a certain number of people will disobey 
it until the government provides those officers. 



The United States Government uses vessels of this type to hunt down 
ships which are trying to smuggle liquor into this country. 


Take, for example, our national prohibition law. This 
law declared the liquor business illegal, but for a long time 
the national government did not employ enough prohibition 
agents to see that the law was obeyed. You might think 
that our regular force of police officers could have enforced 
this law, yet this proved impossible, partly because these 
officers were already overburdened with work, and partly 
because they lacked the necessary authority. The con- 
















224 


CIVICS AT WORK 


sequence was that many lawless people openly violated 
the prohibition law. 

323. Corruption is another reason for lawlessness. — 

A certain amount of lawlessness is due to the fact that 
now and then government officials are dishonest. This 
is a shameful thing to say; nevertheless, it is true, as may 
be shown by taking the liquor traffic as a further example. 

Our prohibition law made it harder to get whisky and 
other intoxicating liquors. The price of liquor rose. High 
profits were made by the people who manufactured and 
sold it. As a result these people were willing to pay large 
sums to escape arrest, and to escape imprisonment in case 
they were arrested. 

324. This brings us to the underlying reason for lawless¬ 
ness. — We have seen that some violations of the law are 
due to lack of enforcing machinery, while other cases of 
lawlessness may be traced to corruption. To go a little 
deeper into this problem, however, we may say that law¬ 
lessness is generally due to inability to meet the demands of 
civilization. This calls for a word of explanation. 

Remember, first of all, that we enjoy the advantages of 
civilized life because we are able and willing to get along 
with one another. Law helps us discharge the duties of our 
complicated life. Whoever is unwilling or unable to live 
up to the law is thereby proving himself unready for life 
in a highly civilized community. A man who will not obey 
a law until he is forced to do so is like an untrained child 
who must be whipped before he will mind. A public official 
who helps a criminal cheat justice is like a savage who can¬ 
not resist stealing, even from the people who trust him and 
pay him to do what is right. The trouble with such people 
is that they are not yet domesticated. 




WHY WE MUST OBEY THE LAW 


225 


325. We are in the process of being domesticated. — 

You may think it odd to refer to people as domesticated 
or not domesticated, but let us see about this. To do¬ 
mesticate means to tame, or to reclaim from a wild 
state. We have domesticated the horse, the cow, the 
hog, the sheep, as well as poultry and numerous species 
of plants. 

But what is civilization if it is not a process whereby we 
are domesticating ourselves? The very meaning of the 
modern community is that men have been reclaimed from 
the wild untamed life of savagery. We have developed a 
civilization, and in order to enjoy it we have passed laws 
which aim to restrain our carelessness and our selfishness. 
People who are equal to the demands of civilized life obey 
the law, others do not. 

The great remedy for lawlessness is to complete our own 
domestication. Furthermore, a first step toward this com¬ 
plete domestication is fully to realize the importance of 
obeying the law. 

326. Do not make the mistake of being proud of lawless 
pranks. — It happens, now and then, that the law is broken 
by boys and girls. For example, young people may tres¬ 
pass on private property, or ignore a traffic regulation. 
This is sometimes done carelessly, without thinking. In 
other cases, however, the law is broken deliberately, partly 
because of sheer animal spirits, and partly because the 
young offenders think it is clever to do this sort of thing. 
Sometimes young people even boast of how they disobeyed 
a law, and did not get caught. 

The fact of the matter is, however, that it is silly to boast 
of a lawless act. No sensible person will admire you for 
it; indeed, intelligent people will feel sorry for you. Why? 


226 


CIVICS AT WORK 


For the simple reason that whenever you break a law you 
prove yourself to be, not clever, but stupid. 

327. Why this is true. — Lawless pranks are stupid 
because they endanger your happiness, your future, and 
your very life. This is not an exaggeration but a plain 
statement of fact, as is proved by the career of many a 
criminal. 

Suppose, for example, that you violate a local ordinance 
without being seen. Immediately you begin to develop 
a wrong attitude toward the law. You may hold the police 
in contempt for not catching you. Later on you will per¬ 
haps violate other and more important laws. Little by 
little you lose your respect for the law. Your tendency to 
break the law grows and grows, until finally you commit 
a serious offense. This time you may not escape, in which 
case you face disgrace and punishment. 

Is it clever to break the law, or is it stupid ? 

328. Seeing the forest. — If a person understands single 
isolated facts, but is unable to grasp their meaning when 
they are grouped together, we say that he “ cannot see the 
forest for the trees.” This applies to our present problem, 
because single acts of lawlessness are “ trees,” and lawless¬ 
ness as a whole represents a “ forest ” which it is very impor¬ 
tant for you to see. 

We may express this “ forest ” by saying that lawlessness 
is a threat against the very existence of civilized life. If one 
person disobeys a law, his example may encourage every one 
else to disobey it. In this case people in general are devel¬ 
oping a contempt for authority, and when this happens the 
government itself is in danger of being scorned and ignored. 
If the government is ignored or defied, it is in danger of being 
destroyed, in which case all of the blessings of community 


WHY WE MUST OBEY THE LAW 


227 


life are likewise threatened. Such may be the end of small 
beginnings in lawlessness. 

329. Shall we obey an “ unjust ” law? — In concluding, 
let us consider the problem of the law which we consider 
unfair or unjust. Shall we obey such a law? 

There are people who would say “ no ” to this question, 
on the grounds that our conscience requires us to resist 
injustice, even when 
injustice takes the 
form of law. 

Yet there is very 
little wisdom in this 
answer. For one 
thing, it may be 
very difficult to tell 
whether an “unjust” 
law is really unfair, 
or whether we merely 
think it is. Our legis¬ 
lators generally have 
very good reasons for passing a law, as you will discover 
if you inquire into the origins of a particular statute. In 
most cases a so-called “ unjust ” law is actually just and 
fair. Moreover, if it did happen to be unjust, we should 
be setting ourselves and others a bad example by disobey¬ 
ing it, to say nothing of weakening the reputation of the 
government. 

In short, we ought to obey even an unjust law. If we 
want relief from it, we can instruct our legislators to. repeal 
it; meanwhile, we should protect the good name of our 
government by obeying the rules which it has made in our 



When we heed the signals of a traffic officer we 
are helping to prove that we are equal to the de¬ 
mands of civilized life. 


name. 





228 


CIVICS AT WORK 


Something for You to Do 

1. Summarize the important points? which have been brought out 

in this chapter. Use your own words, and be brief. 

2. Name the officials who possess the power to make laws and regu¬ 

lations for the government of your local community. How 
do these officials secure their position? 

3. Explain clearly the manner in which an ordinance or local law 

comes into existence in your community. (Perhaps you can 
gather information on this point by interviewing one or more 
of the officials who are responsible for this part of your local 
government.) 

4. Make a summary of three important ordinances now in force in your 

community. What is the purpose of each of these ordinances ? 

5. Illustrate the statement that “service is the whole aim and pur¬ 

pose of law.” 

6. Are violations of the law always punished? Explain clearly. 

7. What is meant by “backing up the police”? 

8. There are people who declare that bootlegging is “not really a 

crime.” What is your opinion of this statement? 

9. What should you do if you learn that your neighbor is making 

and selling intoxicating liquor? 

10. Why do we say that “ignorance of the law is no excuse” ? 

11. It sometimes happens that a person who breaks a city ordinance 

defends himself on the grounds that “this is a free country.” 
What is the answer to this statement? 

12. In what different ways does the national government endeavor to 

enforce the prohibition law? 

13. Give three examples of a childish prank which may lead to seri¬ 

ous trouble. 

14. What is a juvenile court? 

15. Is there a juvenile court in your community? If so, what are 

its methods and aims? 

16. If it is true that legislators are our agents, how does it happen that 

these legislators sometimes pass laws which we do not like? 

17. Suppose that your local authorities passed an ordinance which 

was considered unjust by practically all of the people of the 
community. How could this ordinance be repealed ? 


CHAPTER XXIII 


SUPPORTING THE GOVERNMENT 

330. The services of government. — Our government 
helps us in so many different ways that for the sake of 
brevity we shall have to speak of its services in groups , 
instead of singly. Thus we may say that the government 
protects our lives, guards our property, provides us with 
means of education, and makes it possible for us to transact 
business safely and efficiently. Again, the government 
reduces accidents, promotes health and recreation, and 
helps to make our surroundings attractive. 

In short, the government serves us in all the important 
activities of life, and what is more, its services are increasing 
every year. This is especially true in such matters as health, 
recreation, and education. 

331. Billions of dollars are spent for materials. — Our 

government spends billions of dollars for the materials 
which are to be used to serve us in various ways. Large 
sums are spent for the steel, wood, copper, and machinery 
which are needed in the construction of battleships. Can¬ 
nons, airplanes, submarines, and similar instruments of 
defense require enormous amounts of money, to say noth¬ 
ing of the supplies which are necessary to feed and clothe 
our army and our navy. 

All public buildings are erected and maintained at gov¬ 
ernment expense, — for example, post offices, courthouses, 
prisons, capitols, and schools. Likewise the government 

229 


230 


CIVICS AT WORK 


spends millions of dollars for fire-fighting apparatus, paving 
materials, public parks and playgrounds, and a host of 
similar items. 

332. Huge sums are also spent for salaries. — The 

materials purchased by the government would be of no 
use to us unless they were directed toward our benefit by 



Here is Uncle Sam acting as paymaster for a few of his numerous employees. 

human hands and brains. Therefore we find that the gov¬ 
ernment employs hundreds of thousands of people to carry 
on the work of serving us through the use of the materials 
it purchases. These people are paid, and although their 
individual salaries are generally modest the sum total of 
the amounts paid out in this way is enormous. 

Our President is paid by the United States Government. 
So is the Vice President, as well as the members of Con¬ 
gress, and the numerous employees of other branches of the 







SUPPORTING THE GOVERNMENT 


231 


national government. All of our state governors, legis¬ 
lators, judges, and administrative officials are paid by the 
state government. Likewise, a host of firemen, policemen, 
health officers, inspectors, and teachers are paid out of the 
funds of local government. 

333. Where does all this money come from? — Many 
of our boys and girls never stop to think how it is that the 
government can afford to pay out billions of dollars for 
materials and salaries. They sometimes assume that the 
government is very rich, and is able to spend money as it 
likes. 

This assumption is not correct. Our government was 
originated by ourselves. It has no power except what we 
permit it to have, and it has no source of income beyond 
what is provided for it by the people. It is very important 
that you remember this fact. 

Of course, the government must have an income, other¬ 
wise it could not serve us as it does. Furthermore, this 
income must be enormous, because the services of the gov¬ 
ernment are both numerous and costly. Fortunately, our 
government has various means of raising money, as we may 
now observe in detail. 

334. The nature of a tax. — Most of the government's 
income is secured by means of taxation, or, to put the same 
idea into other words, it is secured by a system of levying 
taxes. 

A tax may be defined as a sum of money which individuals 
are required to pay the government. 

The government collects money in the form of taxes and 
then repays us in the form of service. For example, the 
people of your community pay a tax on their property, and 
the money thus raised is used as a general fund out of which 


232 


CIVICS AT WORK 


schools, paved streets, fire-fighting equipment and other 
necessities are provided. 

335. We are taxed by three types of government. — We 

have seen that there are three types of government — local, 
state, and national. Each of these types has its own special 
methods of serving us, and hence each must tax us in order 
to secure the funds which it needs. The people of your 

local community com¬ 
bine to support the 
local government, by 
means of taxes. In a 
similar way, all of the 
taxpaying residents of 
your state combine 
to support the state 
government, while the 
people of the country 
as a whole combine to 
support the national 
government. 

These people are applying for the blanks which Each of the three 
must be filled out by those who pay an income types of government 

tax - attempts to plan its 

expenses for the coming year, and then to arrange its tax 
program in such a way as to provide for these expenses. 
Let us notice the more important taxes which are now levied 
in the United States. 

336. Incomes and inheritances are taxed by the national 
government. — To begin with federal taxes, the United 
States Government derives more money from its income 
tax than from any other levy. By an income tax we mean 
a tax which is levied directly upon income in the form of 












SUPPORTING THE GOVERNMENT 


233 


wages, salaries, and profits. Incomes. below a certain 
amount are exempt from the tax. Furthermore, only 
“ net ” income is taxed, which means that individuals may 
deduct business expenses, debts, and certain other items 
from their total income, in order to arrive at their taxable 
income. Finally, the income tax is “ progressive,” that is 
to say, the larger the income the more heavily it is taxed. 

The national government also levies an inheritance tax. 
Thus when individuals inherit money or property from per¬ 
sons who have died, the heirs are obliged to pay a tax on 
their legacy. Small legacies are exempt, just as small 
incomes are exempt from the income tax. As in the cases 
of incomes, however, inheritances are taxed progressively, 
so that large legacies pay a heavier rate than smaller 
legacies. 

337. The federal government also taxes imports. — Con¬ 
gress has the power to levy a tax upon foreign goods which 
are brought into this country for sale. This particular 
tax is called the tariff. Thus when we say that there is a 
tariff on French laces, we mean that laces made in France 
and sent to this country are examined when they reach our 
ports, and are not allowed to be brought in until they have 
paid a certain duty or tax. Many thousands of foreign 
articles are taxed in this way. 

The tax on imported goods may be called an indirect tax. 
This means that although the man who imports foreign 
goods pays the tariff on them he shifts this burden to the 
people who later buy these goods. This shifting is done 
by means of raising the price of the goods. Thus the tax 
ds really paid, not by the importer, but by the individuals 
who finally purchase the goods. These individual pur¬ 
chasers are therefore being taxed, even though in an indirect 


234 


CIVICS AT WORK 


manner. An income or inheritance tax is of course paid 
and borne by the individuals against whom it is levied, so 
that it may be called a direct tax. 

338. Other federal taxes. — In addition to levies upon 
incomes, inheritances, and goods imported into the United 
States, the federal government has various other ways of 
raising money by taxation. Congress has the power to tax 
corporations. Again, there may be a federal tax on auto¬ 
mobiles, as well as upon tickets of admission to theaters and 
similar places of amusements. There has long been a tax 
upon all forms of tobacco , including cigarettes and cigars. 
This tax is collected from tobacco manufacturers by gov¬ 
ernment agents known as internal revenue officers. 

The tax on tobacco is another illustration of indirect tax¬ 
ation, for although the tax is apparently borne by the manu¬ 
facturer the amount of this tax is added to the price of the 
goods. Thus the tax is really borne by the consumers of to¬ 
bacco. Taxes upon automobiles and theater tickets are also 
indirect, because such taxes are shifted to the customer. 

339. State and local taxes. — Coming now to state and 
local taxation, we may notice a number of ways in which 
money may be raised. For example, some states have a 
poll or head tax, which is a small tax upon each adult mem¬ 
ber of the community. State governments may also tax 
incomes and inheritances, as well as corporations doing busi¬ 
ness within the state. 

There are also license taxes, such as the charge made for 
keeping a dog or operating an automobile. Peddlers and 
pawnbrokers are required to pay a license fee before engag¬ 
ing in business. 

Lastly, there is the general property tax. This tax is of 
such importance as to justify studying it somewhat in detail. 


SUPPORTING THE GOVERNMENT 235 

340. The nature of the general property tax. — The 

general property tax is intended to be a direct tax. Fur¬ 
thermore, it is supposed to be levied upon all property in 
the possession of the taxpayer. This property may be 
divided into two classes. First, there is real estate, consisting 
of land and buildings. Second, there is personal property, 
including furniture, tools, automobiles, livestock, jewelry, 
and other valuables. 

The general property tax is a very old means of raising 
money, whereas income, inheritance, corporation, and 
license taxes are quite recent. It is interesting to note, 
however, that in spite of these newer taxes, the general 
property tax is still the chief reliance of our state and local 
governments. Indeed, it brings in more money than all of 
the other state and local taxes combined. In the following 
pages we shall therefore use the general property tax to 
illustrate several important problems in taxation. 

341. Assessing the value of property. — To assess means 
to fix or determine, and accordingly the assessment of 
property means the process of determining its taxable value. 
This step is necessary before the general property tax can 
be levied, for it would be unfair to say how much each 
person should pay without first knowing the value of his 
property. 

In every community there are a number of government 
officials known as assessors. These officials divide the com¬ 
munity into districts, and then each assessor estimates the 
taxable value of the property in his district. This he does 
by going about from one place to another, talking with 
property owners, and marking down his estimate of the 
value of their possessions. 

After all of the property in the community has been 


236 


CIVICS AT WORK 


examined by the assessors, the figures submitted by these 
officials are summed up. The total amount is then taken 
as the taxable value of the community’s property. 

342. The next step is to fix the rate. — The tax officials 
are now ready to proceed with their work. They have the 
sum total of the valuations which have been submitted by 
the assessors. Suppose that this sum total is $10,000,000. 
This means that the assessors consider the taxable property 
in the community to have a value of $10,000,000. 

Meanwhile the tax authorities have calculated how much 
money they must raise by taxation. They have endeavored 
to estimate the expenses of the government for the coming 
year, taking account of such items as salaries, proposed 
improvements in public buildings, and better roads. We 
shall assume that they decide that $200,000 must be raised 
by means of the general property tax. 

The sum of $200,000 must be raised, and there is property 
valued at $10,000,000 to levy upon. Now we have sim¬ 
ply a problem in arithmetic. We divide $200,000 by 
$10,000,000 and get 2 per cent for an answer. This 2 per 
cent is the rate of taxation , which means that the people of 
the community will be required to pay 2 per cent of the 
valuation which the assessors have placed upon their prop¬ 
erty. For example, a man would pay a tax of $10 on 
jewelry assessed at $500. 

343. Helping to make taxes fair. — The general property 
tax is intended to be fair, yet it does not always work out 
this way. Even careful assessors make mistakes in esti¬ 
mating the value of property, and sometimes they deliber¬ 
ately favor their friends by undervaluing certain pieces of 
property. Property owners themselves may be dishonest, 
and hence conceal such forms of wealth as jewelry, money, 


SUPPORTING THE GOVERNMENT 237 

and stocks and bonds. The result of all this is inequality 
among the taxpayers of the community, some paying less 
than they should and others paying more than their share. 

To remedy this evil we often have officials who act as a 
board of equalization. This means that these officials come 
together and consider the claims of people who maintain 
that they have been taxed unfairly. The board of equali¬ 
zation then decides whether or not part of such taxes shall 
be given back. 

344. Taxes are often disliked. — A great many people 
consider the general property tax a nuisance; indeed, there 
are persons who object to paying taxes of any kind ! They 
declare that taxes are a burden. Sometimes these people 
merely grumble when they pay their taxes, but in other 
cases they try to avoid paying their proper share. There 
are persons who attempt to influence the assessor to under¬ 
value their property. If these persons have property which 
can be concealed, they often hide it and say nothing about 
it to the assessor. Again, there are people who will lie 
about their income, for the sake of reducing their income 
tax. 

The strange thing about many of these “ tax dodgers ” 
is that they are often honest in everything but this matter 
of paying taxes. They would never steal from a neighbor, 
or defraud a business associate, yet they do not hesitate to 
rob the government by evading taxes! 

345. The call for fair play. — The person who evades 
his share of the tax burden is cheating his government and 
he is corrupting his own character. Moreover, he is being 
unfair to his fellow citizens, because his‘ failure to pay his 
share will cause the government to ask a larger share of those 
who will pay, in order that the total amount may be raised. 


2 3 8 


CIVICS AT WORK 


Common decency therefore demands that every indi¬ 
vidual pay his share of the burden of taxation. Taxes may 
be a burden but they are a necessary burden. We accept 
the services of government, and these services cost money. 
Accordingly we must all help pay for all the advantages 



We have a contempt for the shirker, because he is willing for other 
people to bear his share of the common burden. 


which the government makes possible, just as we must 
help pay the expenses of a banquet which we organize and 
attend and enjoy. 

As you grow older and come into closer contact with the 
problem of taxation, be sure that your slogan is Fair Play 1 

Something for You to Do 

1. Summarize the important points which have been brought out in 

the preceding chapter. Use your own words, and be brief. 

2. The services of government are increasing every year. "Why? 

3. Make a brief study of the annual cost of our national defense. 

4. What buildings in your community have been erected at public 

expense? Explain why each of these buildings is necessary. 



SUPPORTING THE GOVERNMENT 239 

5. Make a list of the people in your community who are employees 

of some branch of government. 

6. What is the relation between taxation and budget-making? 

7. To what extent do the tax officials of your state make use of the 

budget idea? 

8. Find out just how the authorities of your local government 

determine how much is to be raised by taxation for the coming 
year. 

9. Ask a person who pays a federal income tax to explain to you 

just how this is done. 

10. What are the advantages of a tax on inheritances? 

11. Our desire for revenue is one reason for taxing imports, but there 

is also another reason for the tariff. What is this second 
reason ? 

12. Debate the following question, “Resolved, that tax assessors 

ought to be chosen by means of civil service examinations, 
rather than being elected.” 

13. What becomes of the money which is paid to court officials in 

your community in the form of fines ? 

14. Obtain a tax list from the office of a local tax assessor and be 

prepared to discuss the items listed there. 

15. What is the rate of taxation in your community? Has it in¬ 

creased or decreased within the last five years ? 

16. Describe the work of the board of equalization in your county 

or state. 

17. In how many different ways may children pay taxes? 

18. How does your treatment of school property affect the tax rate 

in your community? 

19. Without examining the next chapter, give your idea of the rela¬ 

tion between taxation and war. 


CHAPTER XXIV 


THE STRUGGLE TO PREVENT WAR 

346. Our country has tried to keep apart from the rest 
of the world. — Until within recent years the foreign policy 
of the United States has been one of isolation. This does 
not mean that we have tried to avoid all relations with for¬ 
eign countries, but it does mean that we did all we could 
to avoid everything that might possibly get us into trouble 
with other nations. 

This policy of isolation was based upon the advice of 
George Washington, our first President. Washington dis¬ 
approved of our entering into political relations with the 
people of Europe, and in his “ Farewell Address ” he advised 
us to steer clear of entangling alliances. Later on, Presi¬ 
dent Monroe and other American statesmen gave their 
strong approval to the policy begun in Washington’s time. 

347. We had not counted on the power of science. — In 
the days of Washington and Monroe our country was 
actually isolated from most of the other countries of the 
world. It took a long time to travel from America to 
Europe, or even to communicate with the Old World. Yet 
all the while scientific improvement was preparing to break 
down this isolation. 

Let us notice, briefly, the manner in which this has been 
done. For one thing, science has increased the speed of 
ships, so that we are now only a few days’ travel from 
Europe. The telephone and telegraph have been improved 


240 


THE STRUGGLE TO PREVENT WAR 


241 



to such an extent that we can talk across the ocean almost 
as easily as we can talk to one another at home. The radio 
carries voices and even photographs from New York to 
London or Paris. Finally there is the marvelous airplane 
which spans the ocean in a few hours. 

348. Isolation is no longer possible. — The result of all 
these improvements has been to draw us into close contact 
with many distant 
lands. To give only 
a single instance of 
this the city of Chi¬ 
cago is to-day in 
closer contact with 
Vienna than Boston 
was with New York 
in colonial times. 

Large numbers of 
Americans travel abroad, and large numbers of foreigners 
are constantly visiting us. Important events in one part 
of the world are flashed around the globe. Commerce binds 
us to dozens of foreign lands. 

Therefore it is no longer possible to isolate ourselves. 
We are like a homesteader who went out upon the lonely 
prairie and built himself a house and lived a solitary life; 
then other settlers appeared, and roads were built, and the 
postal service and the telephone came, whereupon the 
homesteader found himself a member of a community, 
unable to pretend that he lived by himself. That is the 
way it has been with America. 

349. No nation liveth to itself. — You will recall that 
the slogan of this book is “ None of us liveth to himself. 
You will likewise recall that individuals live in communi- 


Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh showed us that the 
Atlantic is not so wide as we thought it was. 


242 


CIVICS AT WORK 


ties and are dependent upon one another. The members of 
a community need one another in order to live together 
safely and happily and efficiently. 

Now the same argument applies to nations. Science has 
drawn us so close to the other nations of the globe that 
we have become neighbors with them. The world itself 
is being turned into a great community, in which the mem¬ 
bers are the various nations of the earth. Furthermore, 
this world community has its own peculiar problems, just 
as a city community has its problems. 

We may go a step further, and say that just as the mem¬ 
bers of a city community must be willing to help solve the prob¬ 
lems of this local community , so the nations of the earth must 
cooperate in the effort to solve the problems of the world com¬ 
munity to which they belong. 

350. War is the greatest of these problems. — The 

development of a world community has given rise to a num¬ 
ber of problems. War is only one of these, but since it is 
by far the most important we shall devote the remainder 
of this chapter to its study. 

It is impossible to exaggerate the evil of war. When war 
breaks out between nations they suspend friendly relations 
and devote all of their energies to injuring each other. All 
of the knowledge and skill of civilization is turned to the 
brutal and violent end of destruction. The submarine, the 
bombing airplane, poison gas, barbed wire entanglements, 
and dozens of other frightful devices are manufactured on 
a large scale and at tremendous cost. For what purpose? 
For the purpose of blowing human beings to pieces, tearing 
the life out of them, or drowning or suffocating them. Mil¬ 
lions of men were killed in the World War and millions 
more were maimed for life. Such is war. 



THE STRUGGLE TO PREVENT WAR 


243 


351. All wars tend to become world wars. — In former 
times the methods of warfare were so primitive that war 
was generally a local affair which affected only a small area 
and a few people. Nowadays, however, a war tends to 
involve the entire world, for the simple reason that science 
has made close neighbors of all the nations of the earth. 

The World War proved this to the American people. 
The struggle began in Europe in the summer of 1914. At 
that time we were 
only an interested 
spectator, for we lived 
far across the ocean 
and in a different 
hemisphere. We saw 
more and more people 
drawn into the con¬ 
flict, and still we told 
ourselves that all this 
had nothing to do 
with us. Then grad- , , 

In the summer of 1914 the American people were 
ually the war began to on ly mildly interested to read of the assassination 
reach out and touch an Austrian archduke, yet the death of this man 
... . . was destined to lead to the World War. 

us, until in spite of 

our efforts to keep back we were dragged into the struggle, 
as into a whirlpool. We went to war, and gave blood and 
flesh and tears to end a dispute with which we originally 
had nothing to do. 

352. The search for a method of preventing war. — War 

is the greatest of curses. It ruins the vanquished, and it 
inflicts such heavy losses upon the winners that we may 
say that it also ruins them. War threatens the existence of 
civilization itself. All thoughtful people realize this. 





244 


CIVICS AT WORK 


This is why thoughtful people have long been searching 
for some way of preventing war. Even in ancient times 
there were a few persons who demanded that war be out¬ 
lawed, although nothing came of their efforts. The feeling 
against war grew and grew, and as nations became more 
and more enlightened they listened with more attention to 
suggestions for bringing about permanent peace. Finally 
came The Hague Conferences as a first real attack upon war 
and its horrors. 

353. The Hague Conferences. — In 1899 the Czar of 
Russia invited the nations of the world to meet in confer¬ 
ence at the capital city of Holland, known as The Hague. 
The purpose of this conference was to discuss three impor¬ 
tant questions : first, the reduction of armaments; second, 
the humanizing of warfare; and third, the settlement of 
international disputes by arbitration. Various nations 
accepted the Czar’s invitation, and the resulting conference 
established an international organization called The Hague 
Tribunal. The purpose of this tribunal was to settle dis¬ 
putes arising among nations. 

A few years later, President Roosevelt began to urge a 
second Hague Conference. A number of nations agreed to 
this proposal, and in 1907 a second conference was held. 
The Hague Tribunal continued to exist, and in the years 
which followed it succeeded in settling a number of grave 
disputes between nations. 

354. The great weakness of The Hague Tribunal. — 

All authorities admit that The Hague Tribunal was an 
important step toward the prevention of war. On the other 
hand, it is also admitted that the Tribunal could never 
have abolished war. The reason for this is that the Tribu¬ 
nal had no power to compel disputing nations to appeal to 


THE STRUGGLE TO PREVENT WAR 


245 


it for the settlement of their grievances. If the disputing 
countries chose to appeal to the Tribunal, then a peaceful 
settlement might result. In case they refused to appeal to 
this Tribunal, however, there was no way of obliging them 
to do so. This means that disputing nations might ignore 
the Tribunal and go to war, as was actually done in 1914. 

355 . The League of Nations. — In spite of the good work 
of The Hague Tribunal, therefore, there broke out in Europe 
in 1914 the terrible struggle known as the World War. As 
this war progressed it grew more and more horrible. At 
last war was seen to be a universal curse, and so while 
millions of men were still fighting, the minds of thoughtful 
people were busy with plans for permanent peace. 

In January, 1917, President Wilson delivered an address 
to Congress, and upon this occasion he proposed a league of 
nations for the purpose of enforcing and maintaining peace. 
A few months later the United States was forced into the 
war, and again the President emphasized the need of a 
league of nations. Finally the war ended. Representa¬ 
tives of the warring nations met in Paris to draw up a treaty 
of peace. President Wilson was there to champion the 
cause of a league of nations, and when the treaty of peace 
was drawn up it contained provision for such a league. 

356 . Organization of the League of Nations. The 
headquarters of this league are at Geneva, Switzerland. 
The League is composed of over fifty nations, leagued 
together for purposes of common interest. Each nation 
that is a member of the League has the privilege of 
sending delegates to a representative body known as the 
Assembly. Each member nation has one vote, and onlv 
one vote, although it may have three representatives. 
The Assembly meets in September of each year. 


246 


CIVICS AT WORK 


In addition to the Assembly there is a Council. This 
Council is the executive body of the League, and is composed 
of fourteen member nations, five permanent and nine elected 
from time to time by the Assembly. Each of these mem¬ 
bers has one vote, and in all important matters, the deci¬ 
sions of the Council must be unanimous. The Council 
meets at least once every three months. 

There is also a Secretariat, which means the office of a 
secretary. This Secretariat is intended to be located per¬ 
manently at Geneva, for the discharge of various duties. 
It keeps the records of the League, and publishes treaties 
and other documents. The Secretariat also performs a 
variety of clerical tasks. 

Finally, there are committees appointed annually to 
study important problems, and to report on them to the 
Assembly of the League. 

357. Chief aims of the League. — The central purpose 
of the League of Nations is to prevent war. The members 
of the League agree not to begin war upon any state until 
an impartial investigation has been made. The aim of this 
investigation is to see if the quarrel has any real basis, 
and furthermore to see if the dispute can not be settled 
peaceably. 

If a state does actually begin hostilities, the members of 
the League are supposed to boycott the offender in trade 
and commerce. This means that the members of the 
League may refuse to have any commercial relations with 
the offending nation. In the meantime, the League will 
be deciding upon its next step. This next step may con¬ 
sist in ordering the members of the League to send their 
armed forces against the offending nation, in order to bring 
about peace. 


THE STRUGGLE TO PREVENT WAR 


247 


The League also attempts to make diplomacy as honest 
and open as possible. This it does by insisting that no 
treaties between members of the League are to be considered 
valid until such treaties have been filed with the Secretariat 
and published. Other aims of the League include the regu¬ 
lation of international trade in arms and munitions, the 
improvement of international law, and the encouragement 
of such organizations as the Red Cross. 

358. The attitude of the United States. — President 
Wilson was enthusiastic over the League of Nations, but 
he was unable to 
persuade the United 
States to join it. 

Numerous argu¬ 
ments were brought 
against the proposal 
that we become a 
member of this in¬ 
ternational organiza¬ 
tion. 

For example, the 
American critics de¬ 
clared that if we 
joined the League 
it might attempt to 
interfere in such domestic concerns as the tariff, coastwise 
shipping, and immigration. It was also said that the League 
would have the power to send American soldiers to guard 
European frontiers in case of attack. This objection 
amounts to saying that we have so little in common with 
the petty squabbles of Europe that such a use of our soldiers 
would be unjustifiable. Finally, it was held that the League 



These diplomats are settling their differences in a 
friendly conference. 








248 


CIVICS AT WORK 


might become a super-state and end by destroying the 
member nations. 

For these and other reasons the United States has stead¬ 
fastly refused to join the League of Nations. 

359. What has been accomplished by the League ? — 
The merits of the League of Nations are still hotly debated 
in America. 

The League has done a great deal of good. It has 
U,v 'ught about many friendly meetings and discussions 
among diplomats. This has led to more pleasant and 
trustful relations among the nations which these diplomats 
represent. The League has helped to suppress the drug 
traffic, and also to control contagious disease. It has aided 
such humanitarian organizations as the Red Cross. Fi¬ 
nally, the League has created a permanent court of inter¬ 
national justice. This World Court has already encouraged 
international good will, and is promising to become an 
important means of settling disputes between nations. 

On the other hand, the League has not abolished war. 
In many cases the peoples of the world have engaged in 
warfare in spite of the League. 

360. What of the future ? — To be perfectly frank, we 
are not yet safe from the threat of war. It may be that the 
future will plunge us into another world war, as terrible as 
the conflict which ended in the autumn of 1918. The 
nations of the earth are continuing to arm themselves; 
furthermore, they are not yet the best of friends. 

This does not mean that we have failed to make progress 
in the struggle against war. We have made progress. War 
is hated more bitterly than in any previous age. More 
and more people are opposing it. Nations are making 
genuine efforts to be good friends. Memory of the horrors 


THE STRUGGLE TO PREVENT WAR 


249 


of the World War has made countries willing to go far 
to avoid another such conflict. The League of Nations, the 
Red Cross, and numerous other organizations are steadily 
strengthening public opinion against armed hostilities. 

361. The trouble is that nations, like people, must 
domesticate themselves. — We saw, in an earlier chapter, 
that individuals are not fit for community life until they 
have been reclaimed from such savage traits as selfishness 
and violence. Individuals must learn to behave. 

The same argument applies to nations. The countries 
of the earth are now neighbors. They are members of the 
world community, and by way of preparation for this new 
type of life they must tame themselves. They must learn 
to restrain their violent instincts and develop self-control. 
In short, they must domesticate themselves. 

The struggle to prevent war is therefore the struggle to 
live up to the demands of modern civilization. It is the 
struggle of reason against brute feeling, the struggle of 
generosity against selfishness, the struggle of sympathy 
and understanding against suspicion and jealousy. Only 
let us win this many-sided struggle and we shall be free 
of war. 


Something for You to Do 

1. Summarize the important points which have been brought out 

in the preceding chapter. Use your own words, and be brief. 

2. What is meant by political relations with other countries? 

3. Write a theme of one hundred words on our foreign policy as 

developed by George Washington. 

4. Write a theme of one hundred words on our foreign policy as 

developed by President Monroe. 

5. What is the relation of the Monroe Doctrine to the development 

of Latin America? Give an example. 


CIVICS AT WORK 


250 

6. Debate the following question, “Resolved, that international 

trade does as much to cause war as it does to encourage peace.” 

7. In what different ways would we lose or suffer if we attempted 

to live apart from the other nations of the world ? 

8. Make a brief study of the First Hague Conference. 

9. Make a brief study of the Second Hague Conference. 

10. What countries are now members of the League of Nations? 

11. What is “secret diplomacy,” and what is its danger? 

12. Just what do we mean when we speak of “the problem of dis¬ 

armament”? 

13. What is your opinion of the League of Nations as a means of 

preventing war? Explain clearly. 

14. The United States and Great Britain are rivals for control of the 

seas. How does this tend to cause war? 

15. Which, in your opinion, is the more important as a cause of war, 

selfishness or lack of understanding? 

16. Do you believe there will be another World War? Give your 

reasons. 

17. What did Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh do to advance the cause 

of international good will? 


CHAPTER XXV 


THE POWER OF THE INDIVIDUAL 

363. One among millions. — Here and there in the pre¬ 
ceding chapters we have spoken of your duties. Thus we 
have suggested what you ought to do about such matters 
as taxation and obedience to law. 

Now it may be that advice of this kind has failed to 
arouse you. Perhaps you are oppressed by the fact that 
you are one among many. You are a single individual in 
a populous village or town or city. The state in which you 
live is even more populous, and as for the nation you may 
think yourself as unimportant as a grain of sand amid its 
population of more than a hundred million. 

So it may be that you are indifferent to public questions, 
because you think your influence cannot possibly be of 
value. Perhaps such terms as “ the public,” or “ the 
people ” or “ everybody ” make you think of powerful 
forces which you could not possibly affect, one way or the 
other. Such may be your attitude. 

364. What if every one felt this way ? — Suppose, now, 
that in addition to your feeling this way your friends took 
the same attitude. To go a step further, let us assume 
that your neighbors and acquaintances and all the other 
members of the community and nation were likewise over¬ 
powered by a sense*of their own weakness. What would 
be the result ? 


251 


CIVICS AT WORK 


252 

The result would be that the community would fall to 
decay. Every one would be kept back from doing his duty 
by the fact that he was only one among many. The state 
and the nation would be confronted with obstacles and 
problems beyond number. Public questions would not 
be solved. Progress would slacken and die. The world 



Our forefathers worked out their problems, and now we must grapple 
with the problems of our generation. 


would begin to look upon us as a nation of incapable weak¬ 
lings, and in truth this would be a correct view of the 
matter, all because each one of us felt that his influence 
could not possibly help solve the problems of the com¬ 
munity and the nation. 

365 . Our country is what individuals make it. — If you 

are tempted to believe that you yourself and other indi¬ 
viduals are powerless to affect the life of the community, 
consider this important fact: The community is what it is 
because of individuals. Individuals originated and devel- 













THE POWER OF THE INDIVIDUAL 


253 


oped your community. Individuals organized your state. 
Individuals drew up the government of the United States, 
and have ever since maintained it in security. 

The truth is that all power is with individuals. All 
power is with us. If we are weak, then the community will 
suffer. If we are strong and progressive, then the com¬ 
munity will thrive. A nation is like a ventriloquist’s 
dummy, because it cannot move unless it is directed by the 
individuals behind it, and it cannot speak until those indi¬ 
viduals speak. What America is to-day is due to what in¬ 
dividuals have been doing and are doing at the present time. 

366. We have only ourselves to rely upon. — To use 
plain words, the fate of our country depends upon individ¬ 
uals. To put the same idea in different language, the future 
of the nation depends upon the masses of the people. We 
are not governed by a king or a dictator. We are gov¬ 
erned by ourselves. Our country is known as a democracy, 
and the word democracy means “ control by the people.” 

In a democracy such as ours the people themselves must 
assume responsibility for what is done by the community 
and the nation. There is no one to excuse our mistakes. 
If we make blunders, we have only ourselves to blame. 
You and I and our friends and neighbors and fellow citizens 
are the people of the United States of America , living together 
in communities, and relying upon ourselves in community 
affairs, because there is no one else to rely upon. 

367. The children of to-day are the men and women of 
to-morrow. —And still what we have been saying may 
have failed to impress you with a sense of your own power. 
What have you to do with the settlement of the great prob¬ 
lems of public life ? You are only a student in school. The 
leaders in the community are not children but mature men 


254 


CIVICS AT WORK 


and women, such as editors and lawyers and teachers and 
ministers and government officials. What have the prob¬ 
lems of these people to do with you ? 

They have a great deal to do with you, for you and your 
classmates are to succeed the mature men and women who 
are now grappling with the problems of your community. 
These people were once children, but time passes quickly, 
and now they are grown up and helping to solve the larger 
problems of public life. In a few years more you yourself 
will be grown up, and then you will step forward as a mature 
leader. One generation will have passed and another taken 
its place — such is the law of life. 

368. The part you are called upon to play. — Community 
life is a kind of stage, whereon such evils as disease, crime, 
and inefficiency struggle against the human defenders of 
decency and progress. Chief among these defenders are 
the men and women of the community, but you and your 
young friends are their understudies, and in the next scene 
you will take their places. 

Thus the older you grow the greater will be your influence, 
either for good or bad. What you do will affect the com¬ 
munity in which you live. Likewise what you fail to do will 
affect it. Your power is great, for it is yourself in com¬ 
bination with the other members of the community that 
will determine the progress of that community. The part 
you are called upon to play, then, is first to realize that 
your personal influence is important, and second to use that 
influence for good. 

369. Here is your opportunity to get out of debt. — Have 
you forgotten that you are heavily in debt? All your life 
long you have been accepting goods and services without 
making a proper return. You are in debt to your parents, 


THE POWER OF THE INDIVIDUAL 255 

and to your teachers, and to the community in general for 
all that has been done for you. 

How are you going to discharge this debt ? By becom¬ 
ing a reliable and efficient member of the community. Of 
course you are even now a member of the community, and 
no doubt you are personally reliable and efficient. The 
point is, however, that as you grow older you are expected 
to prove more and more reliable and efficient in influencing 
the affairs of the community. In this way, and in this way 
only, you will be able to repay the community for what 
has been done for you. 

370. Killing two birds with one stone. — At first thought 
it may strike you that your personal affairs will have to 
suffer if you are to do your duty by the community. This 
is not true, however. What is a community but a number 
of individuals living together for the sake of advancing 
their common interests ? A community is a kind of body, 
with you and your friends and neighbors as just so many of 
its cells or limbs or organs. Whatever benefits this body 
will benefit its various parts. 

This means that you will not lose by helping your com¬ 
munity ; indeed, you will gain. Its interests are your 
interests, and you may rest assured that whenever you are 
serving the community you are also serving yourself. Like¬ 
wise, whatever helps you personally may be an advantage 
to the community. In short, you can serve yourself and 
the community at one and the same time, and thus kill two 
birds with one stone. 

Let us examine a few of the ways in which this may be 
done. 

371. The double benefit of being a good worker. — You 
will be benefiting both yourself and the community if you 


256 


CIVICS AT WORK 


make yourself a reliable and efficient worker in an occupa¬ 
tion which is lawful and necessary. 

Of course it is clear that you will benefit yourself by doing 
this. By safeguarding your health you will be able to do 
your work, and by extending your training or education 
you will be opening the door to promotion. The more 
dependable you become the more your services will be 
sought after, and the more you manage to improve your 
abilities the greater will be your success. 



Honest useful work benefits both the individual and the community. 


Yet all this may likewise benefit the community. You 
are a vital part of the community; hence when you safe¬ 
guard your health you are safeguarding the health of a 
member of that community. When you extend your edu¬ 
cation you are making a member of the community more 
intelligent, and when you make yourself more dependable 
you are helping to make a member of the community 
reliable and effective. Finally, when you save money or 
raise corn or otherwise engage in useful and necessary 
activities you are adding to the prosperity of your com¬ 
munity. 















THE POWER OF THE INDIVIDUAL 


257 


372. The double influence of character. — You will also 
be able to benefit both yourself and the community by 
improving your character. 

We need not dwell upon the benefit which you derive from 
every improvement in your character, for we have dis¬ 
cussed this matter in an earlier chapter. Here it is enough 
to say that you gain in efficiency, prosperity, and happiness 
in proportion as you train yourself to be cheerful, trust¬ 
worthy, upright, and progressive. 

Is it not equally clear that such qualities are also a benefit 
to the community? If you are personally honest then a 
member of the community is honest. If you practice self- 
control, then the community is that much safer a place in 
which to live. If your personal standards are high, then 
you are setting your neighbors and the community a val¬ 
uable example after which to pattern. 

373. Helping the community with its problems. — At 
this point you may grow doubtful of our argument. We 
have been saying that you can benefit yourself and the com¬ 
munity at one and the same time. This is clearly true of 
yourself as a worker and a person of good character, but how 
do you gain when you go to the trouble of helping the com¬ 
munity solve its social and political problems ? 

The answer is that you gain a better environment. By 
environment we mean our surroundings, not only in the 
way of buildings and streets, but also in the form of ideals, 
customs, services, and practices. The community is our 
environment, just as water is the environment of a fish. 
The community surrounds us. It influences us every 
moment of our life; therefore, whatever you do to help 
solve its problems will be just that much toward making 
the community a finer place in which to live. 


258 CIVICS AT WORK 

374. A brief review of what has gone before. — Are you 

in doubt as to the nature of your community’s problems? 
You ought not to be, for we have discussed a number of 
them in this text. What about crime, and accident, and 

disease, and vice ? 
These are all prob¬ 
lems with which your 
community is grap¬ 
pling. Recreation, 
education, and traffic 
are likewise connected 
with the problems of 
the community. So 
is taxation. War is 
a question which 
affects every com¬ 
munity. 

In addition to these 
typical problems there 
are a number of com¬ 
munity questions 
which we have not 
yet discussed. These 
questions are gener¬ 
ally thought of as 
being political, because they are so closely bound up with 
our political life. Voting is one of these problems. Effi¬ 
ciency in government is another. The control of the 
political party is still another. All such matters as these 
are community problems, as we shall see in the remaining 
chapters of this text. 



Form the habit of reading your local newspaper 
if you want to get acquainted with the problems 
of your community. 

















THE POWER OF THE INDIVIDUAL 


2 59 


Something for You to Do 

1. Turn back to the table of contents of the text, and notice that the 

first half of Part III is entitled “The World Is Calling You.” 
Explain the meaning of this title. 

2. Some people neglect the problems of their community because 

they believe that “some one else” will attend to such matters. 
Why is this a wrong attitude ? 

3- Is it ever justifiable for a citizen to say that he is too busy to take 
part in community affairs ? Explain. 

4. What is meant by saying that “ the success of democracy depends 

largely upon education”? 

5. What qualities are needed by a self-governing people? 

6. Explain the statement that “the schools of to-day help to choose 

the leaders of to-morrow.” 

7. What is public opinion ? 

8. How is public opinion formed ? 

9. Give three examples of the power of public opinion. 

10. In what different ways may you, as an individual, help to mold 

public opinion? 

11. What benefit is conferred upon a community by a good doctor ? 

12. What benefit is conferred upon a community by a good teacher? 

13. What benefit is conferred upon a community by a good engineer? 

14. Just how may your community gain if you save money and place 

it in a savings bank ? 

15. It is often said that a nation is founded upon normal thriving 

homes. Why is this statement true? 

16. There are people who never go to church but who declare, never¬ 

theless, that they would not live in a community in which there 
were no churches. Explain this attitude. 

17. What is meant by saying that “every country has the govern¬ 

ment it deserves ” ? 

18. In which of your community problems are you most interested? 

Give your reasons. 

19. The next and last five chapters of this text discuss the essentials 

of our system of government and politics. Explain, as best you 
can at this point, just why you need to understand the manner 
in which we are governed. 


B. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT 
GOVERNMENT 


CHAPTER XXVI 

THE POLITICAL PARTY 

375. What is a political party ? — A political party may 
be defined as a voluntary association of voters, entered into 
for the purpose of influencing elections to public office. 

Notice the word “ voluntary ” in this definition. No 
one is obliged to join a political party, and if you will exam¬ 
ine the Federal Constitution you will find that this docu¬ 
ment does not even mention this type of organization. 
Groups of voters themselves originated the party, with 
neither the encouragement nor the consent of the govern¬ 
ment. This is interesting to us because in spite of not being 
provided for in the Constitution, the political party is to-day 
a very important factor in our government. This will be 
made clear as we go along. 

376. Why political parties have developed. — Political 
parties exist in all civilized countries. They have sprung 
up naturally, as the result of two tendencies of the human 
mind. 

The first of these tendencies may be expressed by the 
term “ difference of opinion.” Individuals have different 
opinions, not only on such questions as religion and busi¬ 
ness, but also on matters of government. Some believe in 
one type of government, some in another. 

260 


THE POLITICAL PARTY 


261 


The second of the tendencies which we have mentioned 
is best expressed by the word “ organization.” Individuals 
tend to draw away from those who do not agree with their 
political beliefs, and toward those who do believe with them. 
As a result, we find persons of the same general opinions 
coming together in associations. The purpose of these 
associations is, of course, to advance the common political 
interests of their members. 

377. The growth of political parties in America. — The 

American political party dates back to very early times; 
indeed, it is older than the nation. Thus there were differ¬ 
ences of political opinion even in colonial times, and as a 
consequence such parties as the Whigs and Tories sprang 
up. You have no doubt read of these parties in your his¬ 
tory texts. 

Again, the Revolution divided Americans into a number 
of political groups, and later on the question of the Con¬ 
stitution separated them into two camps — the Federalists 
and the Anti-Federalists. 

Nor did the adoption of the Constitution smooth away 
all political differences. Down through the first half of 
the last century men differed over such questions as the 
powers of the federal government, the foreign policy of 
the United States, and slavery. The Civil War encouraged 
party spirit, and although this war came to an end it is 
worth noting that political differences did not end. They 
continued on down through the years, they exist to-day, 
and they will doubtless exist in all future time. 

378. The organization of the party. — Each of our politi¬ 
cal parties has developed a nation-wide organization, for 
the purpose of advancing its own interests. 

This organization includes local agents of the party. 


262 


CIVICS AT WORK 


Such agents are to be found in practically every township, 
village, and city ward in the United States. It is these 
local workers who keep in close contact with the voters, and 
do what they can to aid their party, both at election time 
and between elections. 

Each political party also has a state committee. This 
committee directs the work of the local party agents, and 
also cooperates with the committees of other states by 
means of the national committee. The members of the 


national committee 
are selected from the 
ranks of party 
workers in the sev¬ 
eral states, and it is 
this committee which 
is responsible for the 
conduct of the party 
as a whole. 



379. Each party 
struggles against its 
rivals.—Each politi¬ 
cal party uses its or- 


A political parade. What do you suppose is the 
object of this? 


ganization to attempt to advance its own interests, and 
also to attempt to defeat its rivals. 

This double aim requires a wide variety of labors. Polit¬ 
ical clubs must be organized, funds collected for party 
expenses, and new members won over to the party standard. 
Political rivals must be watched, so that the attention of 
the public may be called to their mistakes and weaknesses. 
Voters must be encouraged to take an interest in elections. 

As election time approaches, each party gathers its 
strength for a great effort. Arguments and challenges 



THE POLITICAL PARTY 


263 


and accusations are heard on every hand. Party workers 
go about interviewing candidates, visiting people who are 
qualified to vote, distributing circulars, and defending 
their party. The radio is pressed into service. The news¬ 
papers are full of political talk. The air is tense with 
excitement. 

Then the struggle is temporarily ended at the polls, by 
the authority of the ballots cast by the voters. 

380. The meaning of all this. — To sum up the preceding 
discussion, the aim of each political party is to get control of 
the government. The affairs of government are directed by 
the officials whom the people choose. If, therefore, a politi¬ 
cal party can persuade the people to vote for its candidates, 
that party will be placed in control of the government until 
after the next election. 

This is what actually tends to happen. One particular 
party wins a city election, and by means of its successful 
candidates it is “ placed in power.” Or a particular party 
elects its candidate for governor, and to that extent it has 
control of the state government. The larger the number 
of important offices a party wins the greater is its control 
over the affairs of government. 

In general, our various governmental positions are con¬ 
trolled either by the Republican party or by the Democratic 
party. These are the two important political parties in the 
United States. 

381. The political party has often abused its power. — 

As we noticed in the early part of this chapter, the political 
party is a voluntary association which developed without 
the formal authority of the government. The party grew 
up silently. It became powerful, and because it was not 
checked by law, it often abused its power. 


CIVICS AT WORK 


264 

For example, party organizations have misrepresented 
facts in the effort to win elections. They have lied out¬ 
right, for the purpose of misleading voters. Parties have 
added false names to the voting lists, and have caused indi¬ 
viduals to vote more than once at the same election. Again, 
parties used to demand or extort money from individuals 

and business firms, in 
order to finance party 
campaigns. Finally, 
a successful party 
was formerly in the 
habit, as soon as it 
was placed in power, 
of ousting capable 
office-holders of the 
opposite party. As 
a result, the success¬ 
ful party was free to 
bestow government 
positions upon its 
own followers, even 
though they were 
ignorant and dis¬ 
honest. 

382. The law takes a hand. — All these evils appeared 
early in the history of the political party. They were not 
confined to any one party, but were common to all political 
organizations. 

As time went on the political party was more and more 
abusive of its privileges, until at length decent people arose 
and demanded reform. Little by little the weight of the 
law was brought to bear upon the party. The ballot was 



The politician at the left wants his friend to vote 
for Jack Nelson. Do you see any harm in this? 











THE POLITICAL PARTY 


265 

made secret. Steps were taken to prevent unqualified per¬ 
sons from voting. Party agents were forbidden to threaten 
voters. The law reduced the amount of bribery in political 
contests, and also restrained the party in its collection and 
use of campaign funds. A civil service system was devel¬ 
oped in the effort to prevent a victorious party from bestow¬ 
ing government positions upon its followers regardless of 
merit. 

383. Should we destroy the political party? — The law 

has done a great deal to purge the political party of its 
defects. On the other hand, party politics still have their 
unattractive side, and for this reason it is sometimes sug¬ 
gested that instead of regulating the political party, we 
ought to destroy it. 

However, this would probably be very unwise. It is 
true that the party is not yet as fair and honest as it should 
be; nevertheless, its conduct is improving. The future will 
doubtless show us a way to eliminate all of its major defects; 
meanwhile, we must be content to go forward little by little. 
Our ideal must be, not to destroy the party, but to correct 
its evil tendencies, so that it will be free to perform its, three 
important services. 

Let us notice, briefly, the nature of these services. 

384. The political party helps democracy make up its 
mind. — Suppose, for a moment, that there were no politi¬ 
cal parties. In this case the voters of the nation would go 
to the polls and perhaps vote for whomever they liked. 
As a result, thousands of names might be found on the bal¬ 
lot, with the total vote so scattered among them that no one 
would receive a majority. 

Fortunately, the political party prevents such a situation. 
The party puts into definite form those political principles 


266 


CIVICS AT WORK 


which will attract the greatest number of voters. It also 
associates these principles with particular candidates. 
These principles and these candidates are then placed 
squarely before the people, and minor issues and unimpor¬ 
tant candidates are excluded. In this way the party helps 
the community to make up its mind on political matters. 
Furthermore, it helps the community to express that mind 
with a minimum of confusion and disorder. 

385. The political party helps to make government re¬ 
sponsible. — Suppose, again, that there were no such thing 
as a political party. In such a case, a candidate would run 
for office solely upon the recommendation of himself and a 
few personal friends. If he were elected and then proved 
to be the wrong man for the position, no one in particular 
could be blamed for this. Of course, he and his friends 
might be blamed, but what good would this do ? 

The existence of the political party is a safeguard against 
this sort of thing. Candidates are chosen, supported, and 
vouched for by the party. The party is a definite and 
permanent pledge to the voters, and for the sake of its 
future reputation the party is careful to select and recom¬ 
mend candidates who will probably prove equal to the 
demands of their office. This helps to make government 
responsible. 

386. The political party oils the machinery of govern¬ 
ment. — There are hundreds of thousands of government 
positions which are filled by followers of the different politi¬ 
cal parties. Naturally, office-holders belonging to the same 
party tend to cooperate with one another, even though 
they are associated with different branches or divisions 
of government. This helps the complicated machinery of 
government to do its work. 


THE POLITICAL PARTY 


267 


Thus, for example, a Democratic governor tends to coop¬ 
erate with the Democratic members of the state legislature. 
In a similar way, a Republican President will tend to work 
in harmony with those members of his party who are mem¬ 
bers of Congress. Likewise, the President will tend to 
cooperate with those members of his party who are in 
authority in various local and state offices. 

387. How far shall we support our party ? — This whole 
question of the political party ought to be of great interest 
to you, for in a few years you will be associating yourself 
with this or that political party. When that time comes 
you will have to ask yourself just how far you ought to go 
in support of your party. 

What is the duty of an individual toward his party? 
Should he support it under all circumstances ? Some 
people would answer this last question in the affirmative. 
These people make a great deal of party loyalty; indeed, 
their slogan appears to be “ My party, right or wrong.” 

However, this is going too far. Integrity is above party, 
and when a party has repeatedly violated your sense of 
decency and fair play, then in the interest of your own self- 
respect you ought to abandon that party. Do what you 
can to cooperate with those who share your political beliefs, 
but beware of their corrupt practices. 

388. It is individuals who are to blame for party evils. — 
We have said that the political party has often done wrong, 
but just what is a political party ? It is nothing more than 
an association of individuals; therefore, the defects of the 
political party are the defects of the people who make up 
that party. 

Since this is the case, it is high time that we stopped blam¬ 
ing the political party for the shortcomings of American gov- 


268 


CIVICS AT WORK 


ernment. These evils are due to the indifference or ineffi¬ 
ciency of various individuals. What the party does is 
merely an expression of the aims and ideals of its controlling 
members. For this reason the remedy for the defects of 
party government is education, rather than law. Of course 
we must use the law to control party practices, but the point 
is that the political party will improve in direct proportion 
as its individual members fulfill their duties with willingness 
and efficiency. Happily for us, this is precisely what is being 
done. 


Something for You to Do 

1. Summarize the important points which have been brought out 

in the preceding chapter. Use your own words, and be brief. 

2 . Investigate the organization of some one political party in your 

local community. (Ask your father to help you with this 
project.) 

3 . Show just how party agents in-your local community cooperate 

with the state committee of their party. 

4 . Describe the manner in which the political party makes use of 

newspaper publicity. 

5 . To what extent has the radio influenced political campaigning 

in your community ? Explain, and give examples. 

6 . Make a brief study of the methods whereby political parties 

attempt to influence the voters. Which of these methods 
impress you as fair ? Do any of these methods seem to you to 
be unfair? Explain. 

7 . What are the chief duties of a political party’s national com¬ 

mittee ? 

8 . Study an election in your community, with especial attention to 

(a) public interest in the candidates, and ( b ) the statements of 
the competing parties after the election. 

9 . To what political party does your present state governor belong? 

To what extent does this party control the other branches or 
divisions of the state government ? 


THE POLITICAL PARTY 269 

10. What is a campaign fund? How is it collected, and how is it 

used? 

11. What do the laws of your state say as to the collection and use 

of the campaign fund? What is the object of these laws? 

12. Just how does the civil service help to reduce the evils of the 

political party ? 

13. What is the meaning of the phrase “non-partisan politics”? 

Explain clearly. 

14. It is often said that the public schools should be “kept out of 

politics.” What is meant by this ? 

15. Collect a number of newspaper clippings to illustrate the methods 

and practices of the political party. 

16. What defects still characterize the political party? What do 

you believe to be the remedy for these defects ? 

17. In what ways can you, as an individual, help to improve the 

political party ? 

18. How would you decide which political party you ought to join? 


CHAPTER XXVII 


OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT 

389. Two things to remember. — This chapter will be 
easier for you if you bear in mind two important facts con¬ 
cerning local government. 

The first thing to remember is that local government is 
always subordinate to state government. Your local com¬ 
munity depends, for its political powers, upon the govern¬ 
ment of the state in which it is located. The same is true 
of all other local communities. 

The second thing to remember is that local governments 
vary a good deal among themselves, according to the nature 
and background of the community. Thus we may classify 
some local governments as primarily rural in type, as, for 
example, the New England township and the county. 
Other local governments are urban in type, as, for example, 
the government of a village or a city. 

Let us begin our survey of these various types by noticing 
the government of the New England township. 

390. The New England township. — Every state in the 
Union is divided into a number of counties. In most states, 
as we shall see, these counties are important units of local 
government. In New England, on the contrary, the county 
is not important, or at least it is not so important as the 
townships which make up each county. In each of the 
New England states it is the township which is considered 
to be the unit of rural local government. 


270 


OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT 


271 


To avoid confusion it should be said that the New Eng¬ 
land township is sometimes referred to as the “ town.” 
Notice, however, that when used in this manner the word 
“ town ” always means a township, and not town in the 
sense of a village or small city. The New England town, 
or township, is generally an irregularly shaped area, varying 
in size from twenty to forty-five square miles. It is a very 
old division of government, having been known in Europe 
long before the colonists brought it to America. 

391. How the New England town is governed. —The 
New England town, or township, is governed directly by 
its voters. Once each year these voters come together in 
a town meeting, for the purpose of transacting political 
business. The town officers make reports at this meeting. 
Taxes are also levied at this time, and plans made to give 
financial support to such concerns as schools and highways 
for the coming year. 

The town meeting likewise chooses the town officers for 
the coming year. Chief among these officers are the select¬ 
men, for it is the selectmen (in Rhode Island called the 
council) who have general charge of town affairs. In addi¬ 
tion to the selectmen the voters of the town choose a clerk, 
a treasurer, a constable, and one or more tax assessors. 
A few other officials are sometimes chosen, as, for example, 
highway officials, guardians of the poor, and library trustees. 

392. Now we are ready to study the county. — Let us 
go slowly, in order not to be confused by the different types 
of local government. We have discussed one type of local 
government; namely, the New England town or township. 
This New England township is a subdivision of a county, 
although, as we have seen, it is the township, not the county, 
which in New England is the unit of local government. 


272 


CIVICS AT WORK 


Outside of New England, however, it is the county which 
is more important than the townships into which it is 
divided. In other words, the county is the unit of rural 
local government in all sections of the United States except 
New England. Like the township, the county is a very 
old subdivision of government, having been known in 



This will give you an idea of how a state is divided into a number of counties. 

Europe long before the colonists came to the New World. 
(In Louisiana what is elsewhere known as a county is called 
a parish.) 

393. Carrying on the business of the county. — County 
business varies a good deal from state to state, but in 
general we may say that there are two types of county 
government. 

One type is illustrated by the case of New York. In 
this state each township within the county elects a repre¬ 
sentative to a county Board of Supervisors. 

The other main type of county government is illustrated 
by the case of Pennsylvania. In this state the people of 
the county as a whole elect a Board of Commissioners. 
This board does not include representation of the town¬ 
ships as such. 





















































OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT 


273 


In both the New York and the Pennsylvania type the 
county board levies taxes for the support of county business. 
The board appropriates money for county roads and build¬ 
ings, the salaries of county officers, the support of the county 
poor, and perhaps for county schools. 

394. The officials who help govern the county. — In addi¬ 
tion to a board of supervisors or commissioners the people 
of the county elect a sheriff. This officer is the chief 
guardian of the county peace. He has charge of the jail, 
and is the chief executive officer of the county court. Some¬ 
times he also acts as tax collector. 

Another important officer is the county prosecutor, who 
represents the people of the county in criminal trials and 
civil suits. (This officer is sometimes called the prosecuting 
attorney, or perhaps the district attorney.) 

There is also a register of deeds, who records all transfers 
of property. Of course there is also a county clerk, as well 
as a coroner whose duty it is to investigate the cause of 
violent and mysterious deaths. Finally the list of county 
officers may include tax assessors, a treasurer, an auditor, a 
surveyor, a health officer, and a superintendent of schools. 

395. People are not very much interested in county gov¬ 
ernment. — It is interesting to note that most of us do not 
take a great deal of interest in the government of our 
county. One reason for this is that in the past county 
government has often been corrupt and inefficient, so that 
the people have had very poor service from it. 

Another reason for the general lack of interest in county 
government is that we have learned to look elsewhere for 
the important services of government. In New England, 
for example, the people rely upon the township rather than 
upon the county. In rural districts in general the people 


274 


CIVICS AT WORK 


of the United States are turning from the county to their 
state or national government, while in cities the people rely 
upon city government rather than upon the county. 

396. Out of the county come the village and its rela¬ 
tives. — The county is a large area, and formerly it was 
chiefly a rural area, consisting mostly of farming country. 

With the growth of the country, however, villages and 
other compact settlements developed within the limits of 
the county. The population of these settlements has 
grown and grown, until at length the people have paved the 
streets, installed a water system, and otherwise provided 
for their special needs. 

All this means that the inhabitants of these populous 
places require a different type of government from the 
county government under which they developed. In such 
cases, the village (or borough or town) has generally applied 
to the proper authorities for the right to establish its owm 
special government. If this permission is granted, the 
applicant is declared to be incorporated, which means that 
it is now a legal body, enjoying certain rights and powers of 
self-government. 

397. Whereupon these places develop a government of 
their own. — To be incorporated as a village, or borough, 
or town is a sign that the voters of these places have the 
right to choose their own special agents of government. 
Generally they elect a small council or board, which enacts 
ordinances of a strictly local nature. The council or board 
has limited power to levy local taxes and borrow money for 
public purposes. 

Then there is a chief executive officer, sometimes called 
the mayor, sometimes the president, and sometimes known 
under a still different name. Assisting this officer are such 


OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT 


275 


government agents as a police marshal, a fire marshal, a 
street commissioner, a treasurer, a clerk, and one or more 
tax assessors. There may also be a justice of the peace, as 
well as a number of boards and commissions to regulate 
such matters as health and recreation. 

398. When the village and its relatives grow up they 
become cities. — In most states there is a law which decides 
just when a village, or borough, or town may become a city. 
Generally this is a question of population, so that when the 
inhabitants have become sufficiently numerous it is possible 
for them to be incorporated once more, this time as a city. 
The purpose of this change is to enable the new city to 
elaborate its government, and in this way to perform its 
growing duties with greater efficiency than had been possible 
under a village government. 

Notice in passing, however, that in New England some 
very populous places still cling to their ancient town govern¬ 
ment. Thus, for example, Brookline, Massachusetts, is 
larger than many cities, yet it is governed as a township. 
It regularly holds a modified form of town meeting. 

To go on with our discussion of urban government, the 
city enjoys only those powers which are granted it by the 
state. Sometimes these powers are so scant as to cripple 
the efficiency of the city government. The present tend¬ 
ency, therefore, is to increase the city’s powers of self- 
government. At the same time there is a demand for a 
more intelligent and consistent supervision of city govern¬ 
ment by state officials, so that the city will not abuse its 
increase of powers. 

399. Most- cities have a mayor. — The majority of 
American cities still elect a mayor, to act as their chief 
executive officer. The mayor is usually elected for a term 


276 


CIVICS AT WORK 


varying from one to four years, depending upon the city in 
which he is chosen. His salary likewise varies from city to 
city. 

The mayor is assisted by a number of administrative 
officials whose business it is to regulate such important 
matters as health, education, parks, charities, police, and 
fire protection. Some of these officials do their work singly, 
and are known as commissioners. In other cases they are 

members of this or 
that special board. 

The mayor ap¬ 
points some of these 
officials, but others 
are elected by the 
people, and still 
others are chosen by 
the council. 

400. Where there 
is a mayor there is 
a council. — Every 
city having a mayor 
also has a council. 
Usually this council 
consists of one chamber, and is made up of councilmen 
chosen by popular vote. In most cases a councilman is 
chosen from each ward or district into which the city is 
divided. The terms of councilmen vary from city to city, 
but the average term is two years. 

Just as the mayor is concerned chiefly with executive or 
administrative duties, so the council is primarily a legis¬ 
lative body. It is subordinate to the state legislature; 
nevertheless, the city council enjoys the privilege of enact- 



What different kinds of political business may be 
transacted in this building? 




















OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT 


277 


ing a great many important ordinances. The council also 
has the power to levy taxes to carry on city affairs. In 
addition, the city council exercises a great deal of influence 
over such concerns as health, education, recreation, traffic, 
and obedience to law. 

401. The mayor and the council have much in common. 

— The mayor has a number of duties which have no direct 
connection with the council. Likewise, much of the coun¬ 
cil’s work is no particular concern of the mayor. 

On the other hand, both the mayor and the council are 
helping to govern the city, and so they cannot avoid having 
a good deal to do with one another. For instance, the 
mayor is naturally interested in what the council has to 
say about taxes, while the council is of course interested 
in the mayor’s appointments. It is the duty of the mayor 
to send the council, at least once a year, a general statement 
of the administration and financial condition of the city. 
This the council uses as a basis for much of its ordinance 
work. 

402. The mayor, the council, and the making of ordi¬ 
nances. — The mayor may recommend the passage of ordi¬ 
nances which he considers necessary, although the council 
is not obliged to accept his recommendations. 

In some cities the mayor presides over the council, and 
in case of a tie in voting he has the right to decide the 
matter by himself casting a vote. In other cities, however, 
the mayor is not a member of the council, and of course 
has no power to decide a tie. 

In the majority of cities the mayor has the veto power. 
This means that he may refuse to approve an ordinance 
which has been passed by the council. When this happens 
the ordinance is returned to the council, where it must be 


278 


CIVICS AT WORK 


approved once more, otherwise it cannot become law. 
This second approval requires the favorable vote of a cer¬ 
tain proportion of the council members, in some cities two 
thirds, in other cities three fourths, and in some places four 
fifths of the members of the council. 

403. The coming of the commission plan. — Until the 
year 1900 practically every American city was governed by 
a mayor and a council. Then came a new scheme of city 
government, known as the commission plan. 

The commission plan first appeared in Galveston, Texas. 
A tidal wave partially destroyed the city, and in the crisis 
which followed, the old familiar mayor-council government 
proved to be helpless. To meet the emergency the govern¬ 
ment of the city was turned over to a commission of five 
business men. The plan proved permanent, and spread to 
other cities, not only in Texas, but elsewhere in the United 
States. 

The commission plan permits a small number of com¬ 
missioners to assume full responsibility for all phases of the 
city’s government. Collectively the members of the com¬ 
mission act as a legislative body, while as individuals they 
take charge of the various departments of the city adminis¬ 
tration. 

404. Finally we have the city manager plan. — In 1914 
the city of Dayton, Ohio, established what has since become 
known as the city manager plan of city government. 
Where this plan has been adopted, the people elect a com¬ 
mission, and the commission chooses a non-partisan expert 
to manage the city’s affairs along business lines. This city 
manager enforces the ordinances, prepares annual estimates, 
and appoints all other city officials and employees. 

The city manager himself is held responsible for the 


OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT 


279 


government of the city, hence the people know exactly whom 
to blame in case of corruption or inefficiency. Furthermore, 
the city manager is generally a highly trained and capable 
executive. The city manager plan appears to work well in 
the smaller cities, although pains must be taken to protect 
the manager against corrupting influences. 


Something for You to Do 

1. Draw up your own summary of the types of local government 

discussed in the preceding chapter, and be prepared to ex¬ 
plain it. 

2. Make a brief study of the New England town in colonial times. 

3. Find out just when and in what manner your county was organ¬ 

ized. 

4. Is your county governed by a board of supervisors or a board 

of commissioners ? How are the members of this board chosen, 
and what are their powers ? 

5. Make a list of the duties of a county clerk. 

6. Describe the work of your county courts with respect to powers, 

time of convening, and promptness in disposing of business. 

7. To what extent is your county a rural district ? Is it less a rural 

district than it was twenty-five years ago ? Explain. 

8. Prepare a sketch of your county and indicate thereon the chief 

cities, towns, and villages contained within its borders. 

9. Explain exactly how a village or town in your county would go 

about applying for the privilege of incorporating. 

10. How long has your community been incorporated? What is the 

extent of its powers, as granted by the state authorities ? 

11. Discuss the meaning of the phrase “home rule for cities.” 

12. What would happen if a city passed an ordinance which conflicted 

with the laws of the state in which the city was located? 

13. City government is sometimes hampered by the fact that many 

of the city’s residents are recent immigrants. Why ? (Consult 
a textbook on immigration, and perhaps also a textbook on 
government.) 


28 o 


CIVICS AT WORK 


14. Illustrate the statement that “the burdens of city government 

are increasing because we demand more and more of the city in 
the way of service.” 

15. To what extent are the cities of your state governed by a mayor 

and council ? To what extent are they governed by a commis¬ 
sion? To what extent are they governed by a city manager? 

16. Discuss the merits of the mayor-council plan of city government. 

17. Discuss the merits of the commission plan of city government. 

18. Discuss the merits of the city manager plan of city government. 

19. What problems are common to all three of these types of local 

government ? 


CHAPTER XXVIII 


OUR STATE GOVERNMENT 

405. In one way a state is bound, and in another way 
it is free. — Just as local government is subordinate to 
state government, so the powers of each of our states are 
limited by the Constitution of the United States. The 
object of these limitations is threefold : first, to prevent the 
states from interfering with purely federal matters; second, 
to prevent the states from getting into trouble with one 
another; and third, to prevent the states from possibly 
abusing their citizens. 

Aside from the restrictions of the Federal Constitution, 
however, the states are practically free to do as they like. 
The states enjoy all governmental powers not definitely 
surrendered by them at the time of entering the Union. 
These surrendered powers are important, nevertheless 
most of the ordinary affairs of life come under the jurisdic¬ 
tion of our state government. 

406. Each state has a constitution of its own. — Our 
national government is based upon a written document 
known as the Federal Constitution, or the Constitution of 
the United States. Each state likewise has a written con¬ 
stitution of its own, to furnish the basis of its organiza¬ 
tion, and to provide the framework of its government. 

The state constitution always contains a “ bill of rights,” 
which affirms and guarantees the privileges of the people. 
A great deal of space is also devoted to a description of the 

281 


282 


CIVICS AT WORK 


various parts of the state government. The government 
of one state may differ a good deal from that of neighboring 
states, yet in every case the state constitution provides for 
three branches of government. Thus the state organiza¬ 
tion must include an executive branch for the enforcement 
of the laws. There must also be a legislative branch for 
the making of laws. Finally, there is a judicial branch, to 
interpret the laws and see that justice is done. 

We shall take up these three branches in the order in 
which they have been named in the preceding paragraph. 

407. The executive department is headed by the Gov¬ 
ernor. — The Governor of the state is its chief executive 
officer. The people of the state elect this officer by popular 
vote, the term varying from two years in some states to four 
in others. 

It is the duty of the Governor to see that the laws of the 
state are faithfully executed. He is commander-in-chief 
of the armed forces of the state. Again, he has more or less 
power to grant pardons to persons convicted of crime. 

The Governor exerts some influence upon state legisla¬ 
tion. For instance, he may send messages to the legislature, 
and may recommend what he believes to be necessary 
legislation. The Governor may call special sessions of the 
legislature, and he may also veto measures passed by 
this body. 

408. The Governor and his older group of helpers. — 

The Governor is assisted in his duties by two groups of 
administrative officers. 

The first of these groups is the older. It is composed of 
a small number of officials, who are almost, always elected 
by the people. These officials include the Lieutenant 
Governor, the Secretary of State, the State Treasurer, the 


OUR STATE GOVERNMENT 


283 

Auditor or Comptroller, and the Attorney-General. In 
most cases these officials are not under the control of the 
Governor. They fulfill duties which are described in the 
state constitution, and they are responsible only to the 



What do we mean by a “State Capitol”? 

people. The members of this group often are of a different 
political party from that of the Governor. As a result, they 
often work at cross purposes with him. 

409. The Governor and his newer group of helpers. — 
We have several times mentioned the fact that life to-day 
is much more complicated than it was fifty or sixty years 
ago. One effect of this increasing complexity has been to 
add to the duties of the state administration. In order to 
help the Governor discharge these new duties, there has 
gradually been developed what we may call the newer 
group of assisting officials. These officials are now quite 
numerous, but their general nature may be shown by divid¬ 
ing them into two classes: 





284 


CIVICS AT WORK 


The first class includes individual officers , as, for example, a 
superintendent of prisons, a state architect, a commissioner 
of health, a bank commissioner, and a superintendent of 
public works. 

The second class includes a large number of boards and 
commissions , created by the state legislature and endowed 
with large powers over special matters. As examples we 
may mention the state civil service commission, the high¬ 
way commission, and the tax commission. 

410. The trouble with all this. — Now this increase in 
the number of administrative officials means that the state 
is attempting to serve the people in new and better ways. 
Nevertheless, the growth of the administrative department 
has brought with it two serious evils. 

On the one hand, it has helped to make state government 
inefficient. The state administration has developed in a 
haphazard fashion, so that many times an official’s work is 
duplicated or undone by some other official or board or com¬ 
mission. There is less coordination among the members 
of the state administration than there ought to be. The 
result is a serious waste of time and money. 

On the other hand, the recent growth of the state admin¬ 
istration has helped to make state government irresponsible. 
A great many of our state administrative officials are 
elected by the people, which means that the Governor has 
no effective method of controlling them. Therefore he 
cannot be held responsible for their mistakes. Nor is it 
easy to hold the officials responsible, because there are so 
many of them, and because the blame for mistakes can so 
easily be shifted from one to another. 

411. We are moving toward reform. — In recent years, 
however, we have been correcting these two evils. First 


OUR STATE GOVERNMENT 


285 


in one state and then in another the administrative depart¬ 
ments are being simplified and made to conform to a system. 
The people are permitting the Governor to appoint a good 
many officials formerly elected at the polls. This puts the 
Governor in a position to arrange the work of these officials 
on an efficient basis, and also to hold them responsible for 
their conduct in office. 

In taking leave of the Governor and his assistants, let 
us notice that there is a widespread tendency to increase 
the powers of the Governor. In many states his term is 
made longer. His appointive powers are growing. In 
some states he is being given more and more control in 
budget-making and in other important financial matters. 

412. Let us turn to the state legislature. — One of the 
three branches of state government is the executive or 
administrative department. Another of these three 
branches is the law-making, body, sometimes called the 
legislative assembly, sometimes the general assembly, 
sometimes the general court, but most often merely the 
legislature. 

The state legislature has two parts, an upper house which 
is called the senate, and a lower house which is variously 
known as the house of representatives, the house of dele¬ 
gates, or the assembly. 

All members of the state legislature are elected by popular 
vote, the term varying from one year in some states to four 
years in others. In most states the legislature meets once 
in two years, chiefly for the purpose of making laws for the 
people of the state. 

413. How a state law is made. — A proposed law is called 
a bill. Generally a bill may originate in either house of the 
legislature, but in order to show a typical method of law- 


286 


CIVICS AT WORK 


making we shall assume that our imaginary bill has been 
introduced in the lower house. 

A bill may be introduced into the lower house by any 
one of several methods. For example, any member of the. 
house may deposit a bill in a box near the Speaker’s 
desk. Again, a bill may be introduced by the report of a 


committee, or by a 
messenger from the 
senate. 



After the bill has 
been introduced, it is 
given a first reading 
and referred to a 
committee for special 
study. If the bill is 
favorably reported, 
and this report is ap¬ 
proved by the house, 
the bill is debated. 
Finally it may be re¬ 
vised, and voted upon. 
If the house accepts 


Have you any idea of what your state senate 
looks like? 


the bill, the measure goes to the senate, and if also approved 
by the senate, it goes to the Governor for his approval or 
veto, as the case may be. 

414. Three faults. — Our state legislatures have many 
virtues, but they also exhibit three faults. 

One of these is lack of responsibility. Any member of the 
legislature may introduce as many bills as he likes, but he 
need not assume responsibility for any of them. 

Another fault of the state legislature is the occasional 
tendency to play favorites. Legislators sometimes vote for 















OUR STATE GOVERNMENT 


287 


undesirable bills, because of the promise of votes on their 
own favorite bills later on. In addition, a legislator is 
now and then persuaded to vote for bills which favor cor¬ 
porations and individuals at the expense of the people. 

A third fault of some of our legislators is lack of expe¬ 
rience and technical skill. It may happen that legislators 
make laws on subjects which they do not really understand. 
Sometimes these legislators likewise neglect to consider 
the effect of a measure upon laws already in existence. 

415. We are correcting these faults. — Fortunately we 
are correcting the three faults which we have just men¬ 
tioned. We are reforming our methods of legislative pro¬ 
cedure in such a way as to encourage our law makers to 
be more careful about the kind of bills they approve. Like¬ 
wise, we now have laws which aim to prevent legislators 
from being bribed or otherwise kept from fulfilling their 
duties. Finally, we are helping legislators to overcome their 
lack of experience and technical skill. 

This last fault is being corrected in several ways. Thus 
some state legislatures now enjoy the services of a compe¬ 
tent bill drafter, whose duty it is to help members draw up 
their bills in proper form. Again, many states have estab¬ 
lished a legislative reference bureau, which furnishes legis¬ 
lators with numerous types of information necessary to their 
work. All this, of course, helps to produce better laws. 

416. Lastly we must consider the state judiciary. — 
We have discussed two of the three branches of state gov¬ 
ernment, namely the executive or administrative branch, 
and the legislative branch. Finally, we must consider the 
third ox judicial branch. 

The judicial branch of state government consists of a 
number of courts. These courts exist for two purposes. 


288 


CIVICS AT WORK 


First, their purpose is to interpret and define the laws of the 
state, and to say if a particular law does or does not con¬ 
flict with the constitution. Second, the purpose of these 
courts is to see that justice is done. It is the courts which 
decide cases of alleged wrongdoing. 

State courts are of various types, as we may notice very 
briefly. 

417. The courts of the state are arranged in a series. — 

At the bottom of the series of state courts is the justice of 
the peace , who has jurisdiction over petty offenses and minor 
civil cases. In large cities, however, there is no justice of 
the peace, his work being divided between municipal 
courts (having charge of minor civil cases) and police or 
magistrates’ courts (having charge of petty criminal offenses). 

Above the justices of the peace there are, in most states, 
a number of county courts. These courts (sometimes called 
courts of common pleas or district courts) have jurisdiction 
over civil cases involving considerable sums, as well as 
jurisdiction over most criminal offenses. 

Then comes the superior , circuit , or district court. This 
court has jurisdiction over civil cases involving unlimited 
sums, as well as unlimited jurisdiction over criminal mat¬ 
ters. It may also try all cases over which the lower courts 
have no jurisdiction. (In some states the superior court 
takes the place of the county court.) 

At the head of the state judiciary is a court of last resort, 
known in some states as the court of appeals, in others as the 
court of errors and appeals, and in others as the supreme 
court. Practically all of the cases coming before this court 
are appealed from the lower courts. 

418. A few special courts. — In addition to the courts 
we have just named there are a number of special tribunals, 


OUR STATE GOVERNMENT 289 

for special purposes. We now have juvenile courts to deal 
with cases involving children. There are also probate or 
surrogate courts, to settle the estates of people who have 
died. Again, there is a court of claims , to settle claims 
against the state. Another special tribunal is the chancery 
court or court of equity, the purpose of which is to provide 
justice in cases that the ordinary law will not reach. 

Something for You to Do 

1. Draw up your own summary of the preceding chapter, and be 

prepared to explain it. 

2. Illustrate the statement that “most of the ordinary affairs of life 

are under the jurisdiction of our state government.” 

3. The word “jurisdiction” is very much used in discussions of 

government. Explain just what this word means. 

4. Get a copy of the constitution of your state, and see what it says 

concerning the rights and privileges of the people of the state. 

5. How may your state constitution be amended? Explain clearly. 

6. Comment upon the office of Governor in your state, with respect 

to (a) term, ( b ) salary, and (c) qualifications. 

7. Write a theme of one hundred and fifty words on the life and work 

of the present Governor of your state. 

8 . Make a brief study of the civil service laws in force in your state. 

What is the relation of these laws to efficient and responsible 
government ? 

9. Do you think that your state civil service, or “merit system,” 

ought to be extended ? Give your reasons. 

10. Make a brief study of your state legislature, with regard to 

differences between the senate and the lower house. 

11. Describe the manner in which the members of your state legis¬ 

lature are chosen. 

12. Name and briefly characterize two laws passed by your state 

legislature at its last session. 

13. What are the advantages of permitting a legislator to serve a 

second term ? 

[4. Define the following terms: gerrymandering, log-rolling, lobbying. 


2gz> 


CIVICS AT WORK 


15. Make a brief study of the advantages of providing a state legis¬ 

lature with bill drafters and a reference bureau. 

16. Define the following terms: indictment, civil code, constitutional¬ 

ity, the right of appeal. 

17. Explain clearly the difference between a criminal trial and a civil 

suit. 

18. Discuss the methods of choosing judges in your state. Do you 

think these methods could be improved ? Give your reasons. 

19. Attend a court session, and report to the class upon the procedure 

there. 


CHAPTER XXIX 


OUR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT 

419. The wisdom of our Constitution. — A century and 
a half ago the statesmen of America were wrestling with a 
knotty problem. This problem was how to permit each 
of the thirteen states to continue to be self-governing, and 
how, at the same time, to combine these states into a strong 
union. Finally they settled the question by drawing up the 
Constitution of the United States. In brief definite lan¬ 
guage this document steered a middle course between state 
and national power, and provided a series of “ checks and 
balances ” as a guarantee of safe government. 

One of these checks and balances is a “ bill of rights/’ 
which is attached to the Constitution in the form of its 
first ten amendments. This bill of rights guarantees to 
the people such privileges as freedom of speech and the pro¬ 
tection of property. 

A second of the checks and balances was the constitu¬ 
tional provision that the federal government should enjoy 
certain enumerated powers, while the states were to enjoy 
all other powers. 

A third of the checks and balances was the agreement that 
the federal government should be divided into an executive, 
a legislative, and a judicial branch. Each of these three 
branches has its own powers, as we may now notice. 

420. Our national executive branch is headed by the 
President. — The executive branch of our national govern- 

291 


292 


CIVICS AT WORK 


ment is headed by the President of the United States. This 
official must be a native-born citizen of this country. He 
must also be, at the time of his election, at least thirty-five 
years of age and a resident of the United States for at least 
fourteen years. 

The President’s salary is determined by Congress, and 
at present is $75,000. He is given an extra allowance 
for traveling expenses and the upkeep of the White 
House. 

The President is chosen for a term of four years. In 
many cases he is chosen for a second term of four years, but 
no President has ever been chosen for a third term. There 
is no law against a third term, but public opinion and cus¬ 
tom are strongly opposed to it. 

421. How our President is chosen. — When the time 
approaches for a President to be chosen, each political 
party gathers in convention and nominates its candidate. 

At about the same time the various parties in each state 
nominate individuals for an office known as “ presidential 
elector.” The individuals thus nominated are voted upon 
by the people of the state, on the Tuesday following the 
first Monday in November of the presidential year. The 
electors chosen in this manner assemble at the state capitol 
on the second Monday in January following their election, 
and vote directly for a President and Vice-President of the 
United States. These votes are then sent to the president 
of the United States Senate, who goes through the formality 
of announcing who has been chosen. 

However, the people of the country know the result of 
the presidential contest the day after the electors are 
chosen, because the political faith of each elector is well 
known before the people go to the polls. 


OUR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT 


2 93 


422. The Presidents control over foreign affairs. —' 

The President of the United States enjoys many important 
powers, a number of which are concerned with foreign 
nations. He has the power to make treaties with other 
countries, although these treaties must be ratified by the 
Senate before they are valid. The President also receives 
diplomatic representatives from abroad. Furthermore, our 
diplomatic representatives to foreign nations are appointed 
by the President, subject to the approval of the Senate. 

In time of war the President exercises large powers. He 
is commander-in-chief of the army and navy, and hence 
may direct all of our armed forces. If necessary, the 
President may be permitted to control food, fuel, shipbuild¬ 
ing, and the export trade, in the effort to weaken the enemy. 
Or, as actually happened during the World War, Congress 
may permit him to go still further, and take over our rail¬ 
way, telegraph, telephone, and wireless systems. All this, 
of course, is to enable the President to bring the war to a 
speedy and successful end. 

423. Domestic powers of the President. — Turning now 
to our domestic or home affairs, let us notice that the Presi¬ 
dent enjoys important legislative powers. He may call 
extra sessions of Congress, and he may recommend that 
this body pass certain laws. Again, he may veto bills 
passed by Congress, in which case they are “ dead ” unless 
approved once more, this time by a two-thirds vote in each 
house of Congress. 

The President has the judicial power to grant reprieves 
and pardons for practically all offenses against the United 
States. 

The chief powers of the President, however, are executive 
or administrative , it being his main duty to see that the laws 


294 


CIVICS AT WORK 


of the United States are carried into effect. In discharge 
of this duty the President is aided by a large number of sub¬ 
ordinate officials who are either directly or indirectly re¬ 
sponsible to him. There are hundreds of thousands of these. 

424. How these subordinate officials are chosen. — These 
officials are chosen in different ways. A great many of 
them are selected by means of civil service examinations. 
A number of others are really chosen by various members 



The Capitol at Washington. What is the purpose of this building? 


of Congress, although the President goes through the for¬ 
mality of appointing them. On the other hand, there are 
ten important administrative officers who are really chosen 
by the President alone. These are the Secretary of State, 
the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of War, 
the Postmaster General, the Secretary of the Navy, the 
Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, the 
Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Labor, and the 
Attorney General. 

These ten officials are responsible to the President, and 
may be removed by him at will. This is a very fine arrange¬ 
ment, because all of the work of the national administration 








OUR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT 295 

is done under the direction of one or another of these ten 
officials; and by controlling these ten officials the President 
can indirectly control all of his hundreds of thousands of 
administrative assistants. 

425. The President has a Cabinet to advise him. — A 

cabinet is a group of political advisers, so named because 
in olden times they consulted in a private room known as 
a cabinet. 

The President of the United States has a Cabinet. It con¬ 
sists of the ten department heads named in the preceding 
section. Once or twice a week the President calls together 
his Cabinet for the purpose of discussing important national 
problems. These meetings are not public. The. Cabinet 
members are generally asked to advise the President, but he 
is not obliged to accept this advice. However, such advice 
is often taken, and it is certain that the Cabinet exerts a 
strong influence upon the acts and policies of the President. 

426. There is a Congress, with a Senate for its upper 
house. — The national legislature is called Congress, and 
is made up of two houses. The upper of these two houses 
is called the Senate. 

The national Senate is composed of two Senators from 
each state. Regardless of its population, no state may 
have more than two United States Senators, and no state 
may have less than two. Senators are chosen for a term 
of six years, and in order to make the Senate a permanent 
body, membership is so arranged that one third of it retires 
every two years. Every Senator must be at least thirty 
years of age, as well as a citizen of the United States for 
nine years, and an inhabitant of the state from which he is 
chosen. United States Senators are often reelected after 
they have served their first term. 


CIVICS AT WORK 


296 

427. Besides the Senate there is a House of Representa¬ 
tives. — The upper house of Congress is called the Senate, 
and the lower chamber is called the House of Representa¬ 
tives. The Senate is composed of ninety-six members, or 
two from each of the forty-eight states. The House of 
Representatives, however, is composed of several hundred 
members, because Representatives are chosen on the basis 
of the population within each state. Representatives are 
elected on the district plan, one Representative being 
chosen from each congressional district in the state. 

A Representative to Congress must have been a citizen 
of the United States for at least seven years. Furthermore, 
at the time of his candidacy he must have been an inhabi¬ 
tant of the state from which he wishes to be chosen. The 
term of Representative is two years. 

428. Some of the powers enjoyed by Congress. — The 
Senate and the House of Representatives make up our 
national legislature, Congress. 

Congress enjoys large powers in the field of revenue and 
expenditure. The Constitution gives our national legis¬ 
lature the power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imports, 
and excises. Congress may also appropriate money in 
order “ to pay the debts and provide for the common 
defense and general welfare of the United States.” 

In the matter of national defense the powers of Congress 
are very extensive. Congress has the power to raise and 
support armies, create and maintain a navy, and provide for 
the organization and use of state militia. Congress may 
also declare war, and make rules concerning captures on 
land and sea. 

429. Other powers of Congress. — Our national legis¬ 
lature has large powers over various forms of business 


OUR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT 297 

activity. For example, Congress may regulate commerce 
with foreign countries, among the several states, and with 
the Indian tribes. Congress enjoys the exclusive power to 
coin money, and otherwise control our financial system. 
Again, this legislative body may make uniform laws on 
bankruptcy throughout the United States, and fix the 
standards of weights and measures. The establishment 
of post-offices and post-roads, and the protection of authors 
and inventors through copyright and patent laws, are also 
functions of Congress. 

Hawaii, Alaska, the Philippines, and all other territories 
of the United States are controlled by Congress. The 
national legislature likewise exercises exclusive control 
over the District of Columbia. Congress controls all places 
purchased by the federal government for the erection of 
forts, arsenals, and similar buildings. 

The judicial powers of Congress include the right to fix 
the number, and salary, and the appellate jurisdiction of 
the judges of the Supreme Court. Congress may also 
define the jurisdiction and procedure of the inferior federal 
courts. 

430. This brings us to the District Court of the United 
States. — We come now to the judicial branch of our fed¬ 
eral government. This branch consists of a number of 
courts, the lowest of which is the District Court. One of 
these courts exists in each of the several dozen districts into 
which the United States is divided. There is generally a 
separate judge for each district. He holds court at one or 
more places within the district. 

The jurisdiction of the District Court extends to all 
offenses against federal law. This court has charge of cases 
arising under our postal, copyright, patent, immigration, 


298 


CIVICS AT WORK 


and internal revenue laws. It likewise has jurisdiction 
over cases arising under national anti-monopoly laws. 

431. Above the District Court is the Circuit Court of 
Appeals. — If we go a step higher than the United States 
District Court, we find a tribunal known as the Circuit 
Court of Appeals. 

The United States is divided into nine circuits, or judicial 
areas, and in each of these areas there is a Circuit Court of 
Appeals, consisting of three judges. 

In general, these courts review or reconsider cases which 
are appealed to them from the decision of the District 
Courts. (In some instances, however, cases are taken from 
the District Court directly to the Supreme Court of the 
United States.) In many of the cases which are brought 
before the Circuit Court of Appeals, the decision of this 
court is final, but in other cases its decision may later on 
be reviewed by the Supreme Court. 

432. At the head of the system stands the Supreme 
Court. — At the head of the federal judicial system stands 
the Supreme Court of the United States. This tribunal 
holds its annual sessions at Washington, D. C., usually from 
October until May. The Supreme Court consists of a chief 
justice and eight associate justices. 

When a case comes before the Supreme Court, each jus¬ 
tice makes an independent study of it. A conference is then 
held, so that the justices may discuss the matter. As soon 
as a decision has been reached, the chief justice requests one 
of his associates to prepare “ the opinion of the court.” 
This opinion is the decision which has been agreed upon by a 
majority of the members of the court. 

Most of the cases coming before the Supreme Court are 
appealed from either the lower federal courts or from the 


OUR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT 299 

state courts. Practically all of the important cases consid¬ 
ered by the Supreme Court are questions of constitutional 
law. The Supreme Court of the United States is our means 
of determining just what a disputed law means. 

433. Finally there is the question of changing the Con¬ 
stitution. — As a last glance at our national government, 
we may notice that it is possible to change or amend the 
federal constitution. This may be done in any one of four 
ways. 

In the first place, an amendment may be proposed by a 
two-thirds vote of each house of Congress. If this proposal 
is approved by the legislatures of three fourths of the 
states, the amendment becomes law. 

If the second method is employed the amendment is 
proposed by a two-thirds vote of each house of Congress, 
and is afterward approved by conventions in at least three 
fourths of the states. 

Third, an amendment may be proposed by a national 
convention. This convention may be called by Congress 
upon the request of the legislatures of two thirds of the 
states. The amendment proposed by this convention must 
be approved by the legislatures of three fourths of the 
states. 

The fourth method of amending the Constitution 
resembles the third, except that approval is by conventions 
in three fourths of the states. 

Something for You to Do 

1. Draw up your own summary of the' preceding chapter, and be 

prepared to explain it. 

2. In what different ways does the Constitution of the United States 

protect your personal rights and liberties? 


300 


CIVICS AT WORK 


3. What does the Constitution say concerning the property rights 

of the individual ? 

4. Compare the Federal Constitution with the constitution of your 

state with respect to length and number of subjects discussed. 

5. Make a brief study of the part played by your state in the last 

presidential election. 

6. Compare the powers of the President of the United States with 

the powers of the Governor of your state. 

7. Write a brief theme on the war powers of the President, as illus¬ 

trated in the World War (1914-1918). 

8. Debate the following question, “Resolved, that the President 

should be chosen directly by the people, instead of by electors.” 

9. Make a brief study of some one of the ten chief departments of 

the federal administration, as, for example, the Department of 
State or the Department of War. 

10. Name the members of the President’s Cabinet at the present time. 

11. How are congressional districts determined in your state ? 

12. Describe the manner in which a law is made by Congress. 

13. What are the special powers of the Senate acting alone and of 

itself? (Consult a textbook on government for the answer to 
this question.) 

14. Should the President’s power to veto bills be extended ? Explain. 

15. What are the geographical limits of the federal judicial district 

in which you live ? 

16. Write a theme of one hundred words on the qualities needed by 

a judge. 

17. Make a brief study of the life of John Marshall, one of the greatest 

judges in history. (Consult an encyclopedia.) 

18. Name and briefly describe one of the important amendments 

which have been added to our Federal Constitution since 1912. 

19. Do you believe the Federal Constitution is too hard to amend? 

Do you believe that it is too easy to amend? Give your 


reasons. 


CHAPTER XXX 


CHOOSING OUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS 

434. The difference between a citizen and a voter. — In 

a preceding chapter, you will remember, we defined a citizen 
as a member of a political community. The citizen owes 
allegiance to his government, and in return he is entitled 
to such privileges as the protection of his life, liberty, and 
property. American citizenship is determined by the Fed¬ 
eral Constitution, that document declaring that all persons 
born or naturalized in the United States are citizens thereof. 

A voter, on the other hand, is a person who enjoys the 
special privilege of helping choose public officials at the 
polls. This privilege is sometimes referred to as “ the 
suffrage/’ “ the franchise,” or “ the use of the ballot,” 
but in any case it means voting. The privilege of voting 
is controlled by the states, subject to certain regulations 
imposed by the federal government. There are fewer 
voters than citizens. 

435. Who may vote ? — Let us answer this question by 
summarizing the suffrage laws of the various states. 

In every state it is required that voters be at least twenty- 
one years of age. In a few states the vote is extended to 
foreigners who have declared their intention of becoming 
citizens, although the general feeling of the American people 
is that voters should always be full-fledged citizens. In 
every state a period of residence is required of voters, the 
usual period being between six months and a year. In 

301 


302 


CIVICS AT WORK 


about a third of our states voters must pass certain educa¬ 
tional tests. A number of states also require voters to have 
been assessed for a poll tax. 

Lastly, practically every state withholds the vote from 
persons who are feeble-minded, insane, or paupers in insti¬ 
tutions. Certain classes of criminals are excluded from 
the suffrage. The same is true of untaxed Indians, and 
foreign-born Chinese and Japanese. 

436. What it means to be able to vote. — Our country 
is what is known as a representative democracy. This is 
a brief way of saying that the people govern themselves by 
means of officials who represent the public interest. Many 
of these officials are elected at the polls, as, for example, our 
Senators and Representatives to Congress. Other officials 
are appointed by an elected individual, as, for example, a 
great many administrative agents are appointed by the 
state Governor. Of course the voters elect the Governor, 
so that we may say that they indirectly choose the officials 
whom he appoints. 

To be able to vote, then, means to help govern. Fur¬ 
thermore, our voters govern, not only themselves, but also 
those citizens to whom the suffrage has not been extended. 

437. It is not easy to vote wisely. — It is, of course, very 
important that our voters act wisely when they come to 
the polls; nevertheless, this is easier said than done. 

For example, many elections involve technical matters , 
concerning which the average voter knows very little. 
Bond issues, engineering problems, and the qualities of 
various types of paving, — such matters as these are likely 
to baffle most voters. 

Again, there are so many elections and so many candidates 
that the average voter cannot be sure that he is using the 


CHOOSING OUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS 


303 


ballot wisely. In a large city, for instance, the average 
voter casts his ballot for a number of candidates who are 
personally unknown to him. He votes for them, yet for 
all he knows they may be both incapable and dishonest. 

As a matter of fact, some candidates for office are actually 
incapable and dishonest. They are brought forward by 
corrupt politicians , 
who pretend to help 
the voter discover the 
best man for the 
office. As a result, 
it sometimes happens 
that the wrong man 
is elected. 

438. These three 
evils have caused 
many people to neg¬ 
lect to vote. — The 
italics in the preceding 
section indicate three 
difficulties in the path 
of the voter. A great 
many people have 
struggled to overcome 
these difficulties, but 
others have been dis¬ 
couraged to the point of neglecting to vote. These dis¬ 
couraged voters claim that it is no use to go to the polls. 

It is easy to see, however, that the neglect to vote would 
only make matters worse. If many of our voters failed to 
do their duty at the polls, the government would tend to 
fall into the hands of a relatively small number of politicians. 



How can he be sure that he is voting wisely? 






















304 


CIVICS AT WORK 


In such a case, the government would no longer represent 
the people as a whole. In short, we would have surren¬ 
dered the privilege of self-government. 

Fortunately, we are doing a great deal to help the voter 
do his duty, as we may now notice. 

439. Cutting down the length of the ballot. — The large 
number of elections and candidates is one thing that has 
discouraged the voter, and this is why we have developed 
what is known as the “ short-ballot plan.” The features of 
this plan are as follows : 

The voter should be asked to help choose only a small 
number of important public officials, as, for example, a 
mayor and council, county commissioners, state governor, 
members of the legislature, and representatives to Congress. 
Wherever possible, these officials should be elected for a 
longer term than is permitted them at present. 

As for the host of relatively unimportant officials, the 
short-ballot plan suggests that these be appointed. They 
might be appointed directly by chief executive officials, or 
they might be chosen by means of the civil service. At 
any rate they should no longer be elected at the polls. 

440. The merits of the short-ballot plan. — Four dis¬ 
tinct advantages may be claimed for the short-ballot plan. 

First of all, it would enable the voter to give more time 
and thought to the study of his political duties. Why? 
Because under the short-ballot system there are relatively 
few elections and candidates to be considered. 

Second, the influence of the corrupt politician would be 
reduced, because the short ballot enables the voter to 
handle the ballot with greater wisdom and efficiency. 
Voters could no longer be deceived as easily as was once 
the case. 


CHOOSING OUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS 305 

In the third place, this greater influence of the voter 
would quicken his interest in political matters, and this of 
course would be a great gain. 

Fourth, the short ballot has the power to make govern¬ 
ment more representative, because it would encourage the 
masses of the voters, not only to go to the polls, but to see 
that their ballots really expressed their will. 

441. The outlook for the American voter. — To sum up, 
much is being done to help the voter act wisely at the polls. 
The short-ballot plan is gaining in favor, and eventually it 
will no doubt be widely adopted. The evils of the political 
party are being reduced, both by federal and by state laws. 
In addition, we now have numerous organizations which 
help the voter to discover the truth of the political ques¬ 
tions confronting him. For example, we have civic leagues, 
short-ballot associations, non-partisan clubs, and similar or¬ 
ganizations. 

Such aids as these will stand you in good stead when you 
become a voter. It will be only a few years before you are 
helping govern your country by means of the vote. 
Resolve, therefore, to study all the aids to wise voting, 
with the intention of making use of them when the time 
comes. Resolve, likewise, to study the mechanism by 
which candidates to public office are nominated and elected. 
This mechanism is a kind of tool which you must under¬ 
stand and know how to use, and this is why we shall devote 
the last few pages of our text to a description of its main 
features. 

442. First of all each party must select its candidates. —- 

Suppose that the schools of your state are going to compete 
for honors in debate. What happens first? Each school 
has a number of trial contests, for the purpose of selecting 


CIVICS AT WORK 


3°6 

the candidates who will represent it in the forthcoming con¬ 
test with the other schools of the state. 

The same thing is done in politics. There are several 
political parties, each of which desires to win honors in the 
form of public office. The winners in this case are deter¬ 
mined by public election, which is a contest among various 
candidates. Each political party prepares for this con¬ 
test by selecting its candidates for public office. Let us 
notice some of the methods of doing this, beginning with 
the caucus. 

443. Rise and fall of the caucus. — The caucus is a more 
or less informal meeting of the leaders of a party, for the 
purpose of agreeing upon the party’s candidates to various 
offices. This method of choosing candidates appeared early 
in our history, and by 1800 it was in wide use. 

After 1825, however, the caucus declined in importance, 
and at the present time its greatest influence is exerted in 
local areas, such as wards and townships. In these areas 
the caucus is used for the purpose of nominating candidates 
for local offices, and for the purpose of electing delegates 
to nominating conventions. 

It should be noted that outside of New England this 
local caucus is now generally known as the primary. 

444. The origin and growth of the nominating conven¬ 
tion. — There were two reasons for the decline of the cau¬ 
cus after 1825-. One reason was that party “ bosses ” had 
secured control of the caucus, so that the people were dis¬ 
satisfied with this method of choosing party candidates. 
The second reason was that the political party had grown 
too large for all of its leaders to come together in a small 
informal caucus. A more numerous gathering was seen 
to be necessary. 


CHOOSING OUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS 


307 


The result was that the nominating convention was devel¬ 
oped to take over most of the work of the old-time caucus. 
The nominating convention is a relatively large meeting 
of party delegates, chosen by the rank and file of their 
party, and sent to the party convention for the purpose of 
deciding upon party policies and candidates for public 



This is part of a national nominating convention. What is the 
reason for this gathering? 


office. The convention idea spread rapidly, until by 1850 
all of the political parties were using it to nominate candi¬ 
dates for most local, state, and national offices. 

445. In its turn the convention declined. — The con¬ 
vention improved upon the caucus by permitting more 
party members to take part in the work of choosing party 
candidates. 

On the other hand, the delegates to the convention were 
still chosen in local caucuses, and since political bosses con- 









CIVICS AT WORK 


3° 8 

trolled these caucuses they likewise controlled the delegates 
to the party convention. As a consequence, many dele¬ 
gates went to the convention merely to do as they had been 
told by their party bosses, and not to decide upon what was 
really for the best interests of the party members as a 
whole. 

Numerous evils grew out of this situation. People began 
to be dissatisfied with the convention, and after 1900 they 
developed a number of substitutes for it. The most impor¬ 
tant of these substitutes is the Direct Primary. 

446. The nature of the Direct Primary. — The Direct 
Primary is really an election within the party. This elec¬ 
tion is open only to members of the party, the aim being to 
permit them to choose the candidates who will represent 
the party at the approaching regular election. Where the 
Direct Primary is used, the members of the party no longer 
use the caucus or primary to choose delegates who will later 
choose the party’s candidates in convention; on the con¬ 
trary, the party members vote directly for these party can¬ 
didates. By this means they substitute a Direct Primary 
for the caucus, primary, and convention. 

The Direct Primary is controlled by numerous state laws, 
so as to safeguard it against unfair politicians. These laws 
determine the time and place of holding the Direct Primary, 
as well as the qualifications of those who may take part in 
this “ election within a party.” The state law also pro¬ 
vides for the polling places, election officials, and ballots to 
be used in the Direct Primary. 

447. The merits of the Direct Primary are still hotly 
debated. — The Direct Primary has not destroyed the con¬ 
vention, nevertheless it has largely displaced it in about 
three-fourths of the states. 


CHOOSING OUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS 309 

As to the merits of this new method of nominating party 
candidates there is no general agreement. Many people 
defend the Direct Primary, many others consider it very 
faulty. There is a good deal to be said on both sides. The 
Direct Primary has certainly not destroyed corrupt politics. 
On the other hand, the Direct Primary has probably im¬ 
proved the quality of candidates selected by the party. 

All in all, we may say that while the Direct Primary does 
not give complete satisfaction, at least it is an improvement 
upon the nominating convention. Many people feel that 
the Direct Primary is/going to prove more and more valu¬ 
able as time goes on. 

448. Getting ready for election day. — We have been 
discussing the methods whereby each party selects the 
candidates which are to represent it on election day. How¬ 
ever, there is also something else that must be done by 
way of preparation for this contest, — namely, the voting 
lists must be prepared. 

These lists are often prepared by individuals who go from 
house to house and write down the names of all those who 
claim to have the right to vote. These lists are then placed 
in a prominent spot, so that any one who cares to do so may 
examine them and make sure that they conform to state law. 

In some states the voting lists are prepared by what is 
called the personal registration system. This means that 
on a certain day all of the qualified voters of the community 
are required to come to the voting place and register. Each 
individual thus presenting himself must answer certain 
questions, so as to prove that he has a right to vote. 

449. Finally election day arrives. — At last all is ready. 
The polling places are thrown open to the voters, and they 
cast their ballots. 


3 io 


CIVICS AT WORK 


Some day you will enter one of these polling places. You 
will give your name and address. The election officials 
will examine their records, and when they have made sure 
that you are a qualified voter they will give you an official 
ballot. This will contain the names of all the candidates 
who are competing for office. You will take it and retire 
to a private booth. Here you will study your ballot, 
weighing one candidate against another, and marking it to 
show which you prefer. When you have finished you will 
fold it and place it in the ballot box. Then you will leave 
the polling place. 

Thus will you exercise the greatest of all political privi¬ 
leges, which is the privilege of voting, and thereby sharing 
in the government of a great and illustrious nation — the 
United States of America. 

450. A final summary and farewell. — This is our thir¬ 
tieth and last chapter. Five great aims have been woven 
through the fabric of this text, and with a summary of these 
aims we shall conclude our discussion of “ Civics at Work.” 

The first aim of this book has been to develop your char¬ 
acter. Information, energy, skill, wealth, — none of these 
can bring you success and happiness unless you possess good 
character. 

< 

The second aim of this book has been to acquaint you 
with the general nature of your environment. The text 
has endeavored to show you what community life is, and 
what part you play in this life. 

The third aim of this book has been to introduce you to 
the world of work, its aims and conditions, and the oppor¬ 
tunities which it offers you. 

The fourth aim of this book has been actually to help you 
in preparing for a suitable life work. 


CHOOSING OUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS 311 

The fifth and final aim of this book has been to show you 
how to become a good citizen. 

May these five aims express themselves in the busy and 
interesting life which is unfolding before you. 

Something for You to Do 

1. Examine the titles of chapters XXVT-XXX of this text, and 

answer, briefly, the following question: What do we need to 
know about government ? 

2. What is the approximate number of American citizens? What 

proportion of these are voters ? 

3. Make a brief study of woman suffrage in the United States. 

4. What has been the effect upon our government of permitting 

women to vote ? Give reasons for your answer. 

5. Summarize the suffrage laws of your state, and discuss their im¬ 

portant items in class. 

6. Debate the following question, “ Resolved, that the suffrage should 

be withheld from persons who are not yet full-fledged citizens.” 

7. What is meant by the “long ballot”? 

8. Consult some one who has served as an election official in your 

community, in order to discover the proportion of qualified 
voters who neglect to vote. 

9. To what extent is the short ballot being applied in your local 

community or state ? 

10. Name the organizations in your local community or state which 

exist for the purpose of aiding the voter to do his duty. 

11. In some European countries it is the custom to fine qualified 

voters who neglect to vote. Would you favor the adoption of 
this system in the United States ? Explain. 

12. Describe what takes place at the national convention which each 

party calls every four years for the purpose of nominating candi¬ 
dates for President and Vice-President. 

13. What is “nomination by petition”? What advantages are 

claimed for this method of nominating candidates? 

14. Write a theme of one hundred and fifty words on the origin of the 

Direct Primary. 


3 12 


CIVICS AT WORK 


15. Read over the first paragraph of Section 446, and explain clearly 

the difference between the primary (or caucus) and the Direct 
Primary. Political discussions will tend to confuse you if you 
do not understand the difference between those two devices. 

16. To what extent is the Direct Primary used in your state? 

17. Enumerate the merits of the Direct Primary. 

18. Enumerate the weaknesses of the Direct Primary. 

19. What is the Australian ballot ? When was it introduced into this 

country, and why ? 

20. Make a list of the questions which are asked of voters desiring to 

register in your state. 

21. What is a voting machine, and how is it used? 

22. Get a sample ballot and discuss in class the various political facts 

which it illustrates. 

23. Read “ The Poor Voter on Election Day,” by John Greenleaf 

Whittier, and explain the idea of this poem in your own words. 

24. Arrange to have an election in your class, following, as closely as 

possible, the procedure used in a regular election. 

25. Look back over the contents of this book. Which chapters have 

you enjoyed most? Which chapters do you feel have helped 
you most ? Give your reasons. 


APPENDIX 


THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF 

AMERICA 

Preamble 

k 

We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect 
union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the 
common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the bless¬ 
ings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish 
this Constitution for the United States of America. 

ARTICLE I 

Section I 

All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress 
of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of 
Representatives. 

Section // 

1. The House of Representatives shall be composed of members 
chosen every second year by the people of the several States, and the 
electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors 
of the most numerous branch of the State legislature. 

2. No person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained 
to the age of twenty-five years, and been seven years a citizen of the 
United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of 
that State in which he shall be chosen. 

3. Representatives [and direct taxes] 1 shall be apportioned among the 
several States which may be included within this Union, according to 
their respective numbers, [which shall be determined by adding to the 
whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a 
term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other 

1 Modified by Amendment XVI. 

313 


3 I 4 


CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES 


persons.] 1 The actual enumeration shall be made within three years 
after the first meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within 
every subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by 
law direct. The number of Representatives shall not exceed one for 
every thirty thousand, but each State shall have at least one Represen¬ 
tative ; [and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New 
Hampshire shall be entitled to choose three, Massachusetts eight, 
Rhode Island and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five. New 
York six, New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Mary¬ 
land six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and 
Georgia three.] 1 

4. When vacancies happen in the representation from any State, 
the executive authority thereof shall issue writs of election to fill such 
vacancies. 

5. The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and 
other officers, and shall have the sole power of impeachment. 

Section III 

1. [The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two 
Senators from each State, chosen by the legislature thereof, for six 
years; and each Senator shall have one vote.] 2 

2. Immediately after they shall be assembled in consequence of the 
first election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three 
classes. The seats of the Senators of the first class shall be vacated 
at the expiration of the second year; of the second class, at the expira¬ 
tion of the fourth year, and of the third class, at the expiration of the 
sixth year, so that one third may be chosen every second year; and if 
vacancies happen by resignation or otherwise during the recess of the 
legislature of any State, the executive thereof may make temporary ap¬ 
pointments until the next meeting of the legislature, which shall then 
fill such vacancies. 

3. No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the 
age of thirty years, and been nine years a citizen of the United States, 
and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State for 
which he shall be chosen. 

4. The Vice-President of the United States shall be President of the 
Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided. 

5. The Senate shall choose their other officers, and also a President 

1 The clauses in brackets have been superseded by Amendments XIII and XIV. 

2 Superseded by Amendment XVII. 


CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES 315 

pro tempore in the absence of the Vice-President, or when he shall exer¬ 
cise the office of President of the United States. 

6 . The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments. 
When sitting for that purpose, they shall be on oath or affirmation. 
When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice 
shall preside: and no person shall be convicted without the concur¬ 
rence of two-thirds of the members present. 

7 . Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further than 
to removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office 
of honor, trust, or profit under the United States; but the party con¬ 
victed shall, nevertheless, be liable and subject to indictment, trial, 
judgment, and punishment, according to law. 

Section IV 

1 . The times, places, and manner of holding elections for Senators 
and Representatives shall be prescribed in each State by the legislature 
thereof; but the Congress may at any time by law make or alter such 
regulations, except as to the places of choosing Senators. 

2 . The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and 
such meetings shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they 
shall by law appoint a different day. 

Section V 

1 . Each house shall be the judge of the elections, returns, and 
qualifications of its own members, and a majority of each shall con¬ 
stitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn 
from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the attendance of 
absent members, in such manner, and under such penalties, as each 
house may provide. 

2 . Each house may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its 
members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two 
thirds, expel a member. 

3 . Each house shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from time 
to time publish the same, excepting such parts as may in their judg¬ 
ment require secrecy, and the yeas and nays of the members of either 
house on any question shall, at the desire of one fifth of those present, 
be entered on the journal. 

4. Neither house, during the session of Congress, shall without the 
consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other 
place than that in which the two houses shall be sitting. 


316 CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES 


Section VI 

1. The Senators and Representatives shall receive a compensation 
for their services, to be ascertained by law and paid out of the Treasury 
of the United States. They shall, in all cases except treason, felony, 
and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their atten¬ 
dance at the session of their respective houses, and in going to and 
returning from the same; and for any speech or debate in either house 
they shall not be questioned in any other place. 

2 . No Senator or Representative shall, during the time for which 
he was elected, be appointed to any civil office under the authority of 
the United States, which shall have been created, or the emoluments 
whereof shall have been increased during such time; and no person 
holding any office under the United States shall be a member of 
either house during his continuance in office. 

Section VII 

1. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Repre¬ 
sentatives ; but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments as 
on other bills. 

2 . Every bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives 
and the Senate shall, before it become a law, be presented to the Presi¬ 
dent of the United States; if he approve he shall sign it, but if not he 
shall return it, with his objections, to that house in which it shall have 
originated, who shall enter the objections at large on their journal and 
proceed to reconsider it. If after such reconsideration two thirds of 
that house shall agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent, together with 
the objections, to the other house, by which it shall likewise be recon¬ 
sidered, and if approved by two thirds of that house it shall become a 
law. But in all such cases the votes of both houses shall be determined 
by yeas and nays, and the names of the persons voting for and against 
the bill shall be entered on the journal of each house respectively. If 
any bill shall not be returned by the President within ten days (Sundays 
excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall 
be a law, in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress 
by their adjournment prevent its return, in which case it shall not 
be a law. 

3 . Every order, resolution, or vote to which the concurrence of the 
Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a 
question of adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the 


CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES 317 


United States; and before the same shall take effect, shall be approved 
by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two thirds of 
the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the rules and 
limitations prescribed in the case of a bill. 

Section VIII 

The Congress shall have power: 

1. To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises, to pay the 
debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the 
United States; but all duties, imposts, and excises shall be uniform 
throughout the United States; 

2. To borrow money on the credit of the United States ; 

3. To regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the several 
States, and with the Indian tribes; 

4. To establish an uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws 
on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States; 

5. To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, 
and fix the standard of weights and measures ; 

6. To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and 
current coin of the United States ; 

7. To establish post-offices and post-roads; 

8. To promote the progress of science and useful arts by securing for 
limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their re¬ 
spective writings and discoveries; 

9. To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court; 

’ 10. To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high 

seas and offenses against the law of nations; 

11. To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make 
rules concerning captures on land and water; 

12. To raise and support armies, but no appropriation of money to 
that use shall be for a longer term than two years; 

13. To provide and maintain a navy; 

14. To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and 
naval forces; 

15. To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the 
Union, suppress insurrections, and repel invasions ; 

16. To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the militia, 
and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service 
of the United States, reserving to the States respectively the appoint- 


318 CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES 


ment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according 
to the discipline prescribed by Congress; 

17. To exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever over 
such district (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of 
particular States and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of 
Government of the United States, and to exercise like authority over 
all places purchased by the consent of the legislature of the State in 
which the same shall be, for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, 
dockyards, and other needful buildings ; and 

18. To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carry¬ 
ing into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested 
by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any 
department or officer thereof. 

Section IX 

1. [The migration or importation of such persons as any of the States 
now existing shall think proper to admit shall not be prohibited by the 
Congress prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight, but 
a tax or duty may be imposed on such importation, not exceeding ten 
dollars for each person.] 1 

2. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, 
unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may 
require it. 

3. No bill of attainder or ex post facto law shall be passed. 

4. No capitation [or other direct] 2 tax shall be laid, unless in pro¬ 
portion to the census or enumeration herein before directed to be taken. 

5. No tax or duty shall be laid on articles exported from any State. 

6. No preference shall be given by any regulation of commerce or 
revenue to the ports of one State over those of another; nor shall 
vessels bound to or from one State be obliged to enter, clear, or pay 
duties in another. 

7. No money shall be drawn from the Treasury but in consequence 
of appropriations made by law; and a regular statement and account 
of the receipts and expenditures of all public money shall be published 
from time to time. 

8 . No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States; and 
no person holding any office of profit or trust under them shall, without 
the consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office, 
or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign State. 

1 A temporary clause no longer in force. 2 Modified by Amendment XVI. 


CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES 319 


Section X 

1. No State shall enter into any treaty, alliance, or confederation; 
grant letters of marque and reprisal; coin money; emit bills of credit; 
make anything but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts ; 
pass any bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law impairing the obliga¬ 
tion of contracts, or grant any title of nobility. 

2. No State shall, without the consent of the Congress, lay any im¬ 
posts or duties on imports or exports, except what may be absolutely 
necessary for executing its inspection laws; and the net produce of all 
duties and imposts, laid by any State on imports or exports, shall be 
for the use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such laws 
shall be subject to the revision and control of the Congress. 

3. No State shall, without the consent of the Congress, lay any duty 
of tonnage, keep troops or ships of war in time of peace, enter into any 
agreement or compact with another State or with a foreign power, or 
engage in war, unless actually invaded or in such imminent danger as 
will not admit of delay. 

ARTICLE II 

Section I 

1. The executive power shall be vested in a President of the United 
States of America. He shall hold his office during the term of four 
years, and together with the Vice-President, chosen for the same term, 
be elected as follows : 

2. Each State shall appoint, in such manner as the legislature thereof 
may direct, a number of electors, equal to the whole number of Senators 
and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress ; 
but no Senator or Representative, or person holding an office of trust 
or profit under the United States, shall be appointed an elector. 

3. [The electors shall meet in their respective States and vote by 
ballot for two persons, of whom one at least shall not be an inhabitant 
of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a list of all 
the persons voted for, and of the number of votes for each; which list 
they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the govern¬ 
ment of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. 
The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and 
House of Representatives, open all the certificates, and the votes shall 
then be counted. The person having the greatest number of votes 
shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole 


320 


CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES 


number of electors appointed; and if there be more than one who 
have such majority, and have an equal number of votes, then the House 
of Representatives shall immediately choose by ballot one of them for 
President; and if no person have a majority, then from the five highest 
on the list the said House shall in like manner choose the President. 
But in choosing the President the votes shall be taken by States, the 
representation from each State having one vote ; a quorum for this pur¬ 
pose shall consist of a member or members from two thirds of the 
States, and a majority of all the States shall be necessary to a choice. 
In every case, after the choice of the President, the person having the 
greatest number of votes of the electors shall be the Vice-President. 
But if there should remain two or more who have equal votes, the 
Senate shall choose from them by ballot the Vice-President.] 1 

4. The Congress may determine the time of choosing the electors 
and the day on which they shall give their votes, which day shall be 
the same throughout the United States. 

5. No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United 
States at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible 
to the office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that 
office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty-five years, and 
been fourteen years a resident within the United States. 

6. In case of the removal of the President from office, or of his 
death, resignation, or inability to discharge the powers and duties of 
the said office, the same shall devolve on the Vice-President, and the 
Congress may by law provide for the case of removal, death, resigna¬ 
tion, or inability, both of the President and Vice-President, declaring 
what officer shall then act as President, and such officer shall act ac¬ 
cordingly until the disability be removed or a President shall be elected. 

7. The President shall, at stated times, receive for his services a 
compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during 
the period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not 
receive within that period any other emolument from the United States 
or any of them. 

8. Before he enter on the execution of his office he shall take the 
following oath or affirmation : 

“ I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office 
of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability 
preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States/’ 


1 Superseded by Amendment XII. 


CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES 


321 


Section II 

1. The President shall be Commander-in-chief of the Army and 
Navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several States 
when called into the actual service of the United States; he may 
require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the 
executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their 
respective offices, and . he shall have power to grant reprieves and 
pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of 
impeachment. 

2. He shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the 
Senate, to make treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present 
concur; and he shall nominate, and, by and with the advice and consent 
of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and 
consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the 
United States, whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided 
for, and which shall be established by law; but the Congress may by 
law vest the appointment of such inferior officers, as they think proper, 
in the President alone, in the courts of law, or in the heads of depart¬ 
ments. 

3. The President shall have power to fill up all vacancies that may 
happen during the recess of the Senate, by granting commissions 
which shall expire at the end of their next session. 

Section III 

He shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the 
state of the Union, and recommend to their consideration such measures 
as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary 
occasions, convene both houses, or either of them, and in case of dis¬ 
agreement between them with respect to the time of adjournment, he 
may adjourn them to such time as he shall think proper; he shall re¬ 
ceive ambassadors and other public ministers; he shall take care that 
the laws be faithfully executed, and shall commission all the officers of 
the United States. 


Section IV 

The President, Vice-President and all civil officers of the United 
States shall be removed from office on impeachment for and conviction 
of treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. 


3 22 


CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES 


ARTICLE III 

Section I 

The judicial power of the United States shall be vested in one Su¬ 
preme Court, and in such inferior courts as the Congress may from time 
to time ordain and establish. The judges, both of the supreme and 
inferior courts, shall hold their offices during good behavior, and shall, 
at stated times, receive for their services a compensation which shall 
not be diminished during their continuance in office. 

Section II 

1. The judicial power shall extend to all cases, in law and equity, 
arising under this Constitution, the laws of the United States, and 
treaties made, or which shall be made, under their authority; to all 
cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers, and consuls; to 
all cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction; to controversies to 
which the United States shall be a party; to controversies between two 
or more States; between a State and citizens of another State; be¬ 
tween citizens of different States; between citizens of the same State 
claiming lands under grants of different States, and between a State, 
or the citizens thereof, and foreign States, citizens, or subjects. 

2. In all cases, affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and 
consuls, and those in which a State shall be party, the Supreme Court 
shall have original jurisdiction. In all the other cases before nfentioned, 
the Supreme Court shall have appellate jurisdiction, both as to law and 
fact, with such exceptions and under such regulations as the Congress 
shall make. 

3. The--trial of all crimes, except in cases of impeachment, shall be 
by jury; and such trial shall be held in the State where the said crimes 
shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, 
the trial shall be at such place or places as the Congress may by law 
have directed. 

Section III 

1. Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying war 
against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and com¬ 
fort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony 
of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court. 

2. The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of 
treason, but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood or 
forfeiture except during the life of the person attained. 


CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES 323 

ARTICLE IV 

Section 1 

Full faith and credit shall be given in each State to the public acts, 
records, and judicial proceedings of every other State. And the Con¬ 
gress may by general laws prescribe the manner in which such acts, 
records, and proceedings shall be proved, and the effect thereof. 

Section II 

1. The citizens of each State shall be entitled to all privileges and 
immunities of citizens in the several States. 

2. A person charged in any State with treason, felony, or other 
crime, who shall flee from justice, and be found in another State, shall, 
on demand of the executive authority of the State from which he fled, 
be delivered up, to be removed to the State having jurisdiction of the 
crime. 

3. [No person held to service or labor in one State, under the laws 
thereof, escaping into another, shall, in consequence of any law or reg¬ 
ulation therein, be discharged from such service or labor, but shall be 
delivered up on claim of the party to whom such service or labor may 
be due.] 1 

Section III 

1. New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union ; 
but no new State shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of 
any other State; nor any State be formed by the junction of two or 
more States or parts of States, without the consent of the legislatures 
of the States concerned as well as of the Congress. 

2. The Congress shall have power to dispose of and make all need¬ 
ful rules and regulations respecting the territory or other property be¬ 
longing to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall 
be so construed as to prejudice any claims of the United States or of 
any particular State. 

Section IV 

The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a 
republican form of government, and shall protect each of them against 
invasion, and on application of the legislature, or of the executive (when 
the legislature cannot be convened), against domestic violence. 

1 Superseded by Amendment XIII. 


324 CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES 


ARTICLE V 

The Congress, whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it 
necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, on the 
application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall 
call a convention for proposing amendments, which in either case shall 
be valid to all intents and purposes as part of this Constitution, when 
ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the several States, 
or by conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other 
mode of ratification may be proposed by the Congress, provided 
that [no amendment which may be made prior to the year one thou¬ 
sand eight hundred and eight shall in any manner affect the first and 
fourth clauses in the ninth section of the first article; and that] 1 no 
State, without its consent, shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the 
Senate. 

ARTICLE VI 

1. All debts contracted and engagements entered into, before the 
adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United 
States under this Constitution as under the Confederation. 

2. This Constitution, and the laws of the United States which shall 
be made in pursuance thereof, and all treaties made, or which shall be 
made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme 
law of the land; and the judges in every State s'hall be bound thereby, 
anything in the Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary not¬ 
withstanding. 

3. The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the 
members of the several State legislatures, and all executive and judicial 
officers both of the United States and of the several States, shall be 
bound by oath or affirmation to support this Constitution ; but no reli¬ 
gious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public 
trust under the United States. 

ARTICLE VII 

The ratification of the conventions of nine States shall be sufficient 
for the establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratify¬ 
ing the same. 

Done in convention by the unanimous consent of the States present, 
the seventeenth day of September, in the year of our Lord one 


1 Temporary in its nature. 


CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES 


325 


thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven, and of the Independ¬ 
ence of the United States of America the twelfth. In witness 
whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names. 

George Washington, President, and Deputy from Virginia. 

New Hampshire —John Langdon, Nicholas Gilman. 

Massachusetts — Nathaniel Gorham, Rufus King. 

Connecticut — William Samuel Johnson, Roger Sherman. 

New York — Alexander Hamilton. 

New Jersey — William Livingston, David Brearley, William Paterson, 
Jonathan Dayton. 

Pennsylvania — Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Mifflin, Robert Morris, 
George Clymer, Thomas Fitzsimons, Jared Ingersoll, James Wilson, ' 
Gouverneur Morris. 

Delaware — George Read, Gunning Bedford, Jr., John Dickinson, 
Richard Bassett, Jacob Broom. 

Maryland — James McHenry, Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer, Daniel 
Carroll. 

Virginia — John Blair, James Madison, Jr. 

North Carolina — William Blount, Richard Dobbs Spaight, Hugh 
Williamson. 

South Carolina — John Rutledge, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 
Charles Pinckney, Pierce Butler. 

Georgia — William Few, Abraham Baldwin. 

Attest: William Jackson, Secretary . 

ARTICLES 

in addition to and amendment of the Constitution of the United 
States of America, proposed by Congress and ratified by the Legisla¬ 
tures of the several States, pursuant to the Fifth Article of the Consti¬ 
tution. 

ARTICLE I 

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, 
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of 
speech or of the press ; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, 
and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. 

ARTICLE II 

A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free 
State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be 
infringed. 


326 CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES 


ARTICLE III 

No soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house without 
the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be 
prescribed by law. 

ARTICLE IV 

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, 
and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be vio¬ 
lated, and no warrants shall issue but upon probable cause, supported 
by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be 
searched and the persons or things to be seized. 

ARTICLE V 

No persons shall be held to answer for a capital or otherwise infa¬ 
mous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, ex¬ 
cept in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when 
in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person 
be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or 
limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness 
against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty or property, without due 
process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use with¬ 
out just compensation. 

ARTICLE VI 

In all criminal prosecutions the accused shall enjoy the right to a 
speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district 
wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have 
been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature 
and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against 
him, to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, 
and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense. 

ARTICLE VII 

In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed 
twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact 
tried by a jury shall be otherwise re-examined in any court of the United 
States, than according to the rules of the common law. 

ARTICLE VIII 

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor 
cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. 


CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES 


ARTICLE IX 

The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be 
construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. 

ARTICLE X 

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, 
nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively 
or to the people. 

ARTICLE XI 

The judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to 
extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against 
one of the United States by citizens of another State, or by citizens or 
subjects of any foreign State. 

ARTICLE XII 

i. The electors shall meet in their respective States and vote by 
ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall 
not be an inhabitant of the same State with themselves; they shall 
name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct 
ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make 
distinct lists of all persons voted for as President and of all persons 
voted for as Vice-President, and of the number of votes for each ; which 
lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the 
government of the United States, directed to the President of the 
Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in presence of the Senate 
and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes 
shall then be counted. The person having the greatest number of 
votes for President shall be the President, if such number be a majority 
of the whole number of electors appointed ; and if no person have such 
majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceed¬ 
ing three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Rep¬ 
resentatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But 
in choosing the President the votes shall be taken by States, the rep¬ 
resentation from each State having one vote ; a quorum for this purpose 
shall consist of a member or members from two thirds of the States, 
and a majority of all the States shall be necessary to a choice. And 
if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever 
the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of 
March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as President, 


328 CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES 


as in the case of the death or other constitutional disability of the 
President. 

2. The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President 
shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole 
number of electors appointed; and if no person have a majority, then 
from the two highest numbers on the list the Senate shall choose the 
Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two thirds of 
the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall 
be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to 
the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the 
United States. 

ARTICLE XIII 

Section i. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a 
punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, 
shall exist within the United States or any place subject to their 
jurisdiction. 

Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by 
appropriate legislation. 

ARTICLE XIV 

Section i. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and 
subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and 
of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any 
law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the 
United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, 
or property, without due process of law ; nor deny to any person within 
its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. 

Section 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several 
States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole num¬ 
ber of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when 
the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President 
and Vice-President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, 
the executive and judicial officers of a State, or the members of the 
legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such 
State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, 
or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other 
crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the pro¬ 
portion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole 
number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State. 


CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES 329 

Section 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Con¬ 
gress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil 
or military, under the United States or under any State, who, having 
previously taken an oath as a member of Congress, or as an officer of 
the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an 
executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the. Constitution 
of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion 
against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But 
Congress may, by a vote of two thirds of each house, remove such dis¬ 
ability. 

Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, 
authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and 
bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not 
be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall as¬ 
sume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or 
rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or eman¬ 
cipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations, and claims shall 
be held illegal and void. 

Section 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appro¬ 
priate legislation, the provisions of this article. 

ARTICLE XV 

Section i. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall 
not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on 
account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. 

Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article 
by appropriate legislation. 


ARTICLE XVI 

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, 
from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several 
States, and without regard to any census or enumeration. 

ARTICLE XVII 

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators 
from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each 
Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the 


330 


CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES 


qualifications required for electors of the most numerous branch of the 
State legislature. 

When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the 
Senate, the executive authority of the State shall issue writs of election 
to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may 
empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until 
the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct. 

This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election 
or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the 
Constitution. 


ARTICLE XVIII 

Section i. After one year from the ratification of this article, the 
manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the 
importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from, the United 
States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof, for beverage 
purposes, is hereby prohibited. 

Section 2. The Congress and the several States shall have concur¬ 
rent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. 

Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been 
ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the 
several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from 
the date of the submission thereof to the States by the Congress. 

ARTICLE XIX 

Section i. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall 
not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on 
account of sex. 

Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article 
by appropriate legislation. 


INDEX 


Accidents, protection against, 23-33 5 
too common, 24-25; effect of, 
25-26; and the law, 26-27. 

Accuracy, demand for, 196. 

Adolescence, nature of, 98; impor¬ 
tance of, 98-99. 

Air, pure, 39-40. 

Art, relation to occupational choice, 
169-170. 

Automobile, dangers of, 28-29. 

Ballot (see Vote). 

Banks, nature and services of, 146- 
148. 

Barter, 139-140. 

Beauty, as a source of training, 85-96. 

Behavior, training in, 53-63. 

Blind-alley jobs, 174-175. 

Bluffing, 204. 

Brilliance, and persistence, 206. 

Caucus, 306. 

Censorship of moving pictures, 47-48. 

Character, development of, 83; 
double influence of, 257. 

Cheerfulness, 199. 

Childhood, cost of, 99-101 (see Ado¬ 
lescence) . 

Church, power of, 56-57. 

Citizen, 217; duties of, 218; con¬ 
trasted with voter, 301. 

City, 275; and mayor, 275-276; 
mayor and council, 276-277; ordi¬ 
nances, 277-278; commission plan, 
278; city manager plan, 278-279. 

City manager, 278-279. 

City planning, 89; examples of, 89-90. 

Civilization, and work, 116. 

Commission government, 278. 

Communication, and exchange, 144- 
145; and the job, 162-163. 


Community, nature of, 6; and the 
state, 6; and the nation, 6-7; 
meaning of “the,” 7; and young 
people, 8-9; and play, 65-66; 
problems of, 257. 

Competition, meaning of, 142-143. 

Congress, 295-297 (see National 
Government ). 

Constitution of the United States, its 
safeguards, 20-21; wisdom of the, 
291; amending the, 299; text, 
313 - 330 - 

County, government of, 271-274. 

Courtesy, 199-200. 

Courts, state, 287-289; national, 
297-299. 

Crime, nature of, 18; treatment of, 
18-19. 

Dance halls, 48. 

Dependability, 193-194. 

Direct Primary, nature of, 308; 
merits of, 308-309. 

Disease, protection against, 34-43. 

Domestication, 225. 

Drug evil, 49-50. 

Election (see Vote, Public Officials). 

Entertaining, as a profession, 169. 

Exchange, 139-149 (see Interdepend¬ 
ence) . 

Fair trial, 19. 

Fair weight and measure, 17-18. 

Farming, as an occupation, 160. 

Federal government (see National 
Government). 

Fire, protection against, 27-28. 

First aid to the injured, 31-32. 

Food, pure, 36-37. 

Foul play, 12-22. 


33i 







332 


INDEX 


Gambling, 49. 

Government, meaning of, 13; and 
community needs, 13-14; three 
sizes of, 14; protection against, 
19-20; services of, 229; expendi¬ 
tures of, 229-231 (see Political 
Party , Local Government , State 
Government, National Government, 
Public Officials). 

Habit, importance of, 61-62; ad¬ 
vantages of, 208. 

Health, hints on, 42; and work, 152- 
153; and the choice of a job, 167 ; 
and promotion, 203-204 (see Dis¬ 
ease, Play). 

Honesty, 195. 

Housing reform, 39-40. 

Income, and the job, 150-151. 

Individual, power of the, 251-259. 

Industrial Revolution, 121-123. 

Initiative, 196-197. 

Interdependence, examples of, 129- 
137 (see Exchange). 

Investing in a job, 156-157. 

Job, how it colors life, 150-158 (see 
Occupations). 

Judgment, 197-198. 

Labor, division of, 118-128 (see 
Work). 

Law, and accidents, 26; why we must 
obey, 220-228; violations of, 222- 
224; remedies for violation of, 
225-227. 

League of Nations, origin, 245; or¬ 
ganization, 245-246; chief aims, 

246- 247; and the United States, 

247- 248; accomplishments, 248 
(see War). 

Leisure time, 208-209. 

Liquor evil, 50-51, 222-224. 

Local government, 270-280; the 
township, 270-271; the county, 


271-274; the village, 274-275; 
the city, 275-279 (see City). 

Machines, nature of, 120-121; dan¬ 
ger of, 23-24. 

Market, nature of, 144-146. 

Milk, pure, 37-38. 

Money, nature of, 140-141; advan¬ 
tages of, 141-142. 

Moving pictures, 47-48. 

National defense, 15. 

National government, 291-300; and 
the Constitution, 291; the Presi¬ 
dent, 291-292; how he is chosen, 
292; his powers, 293-294; his 
assistants, 294-295; the Cabinet, 
295; Congress, 295; powers of 
Congress, 296-297; courts, 297- 
299; amending the Constitution, 
299 - 

Nominating convention, origin and 
growth, 306-307; decline, 307- 
308. 

Occupations, range of, 159-172; 
farming, 160; operating machin¬ 
ery, 160-161; making things, 161- 

162 ; repairing things, 162 ; trans¬ 
portation and communication, 162- 

163 ; ability at figures, 163 ; keep¬ 
ing records, 164; planning, 164- 
165 ; handling people, 165 ; sales¬ 
manship, 166; publicity work, 
166; scientific work, 167; health 
work, 167; helping people, 168; 
teaching, 168-169; professional 
entertaining, 169; art callings, 
169-170; choice of occupation, 
173-192 (see Job). 

Old and new, 58-60. 

Opportunity, 178-179. 

Ordinances, making of, 277-278. 

Persistence, and brilliance, 206. 

Planning, as an occupation, 164-165. 





INDEX 


333 


Play, as training, 64-74; advantages 
of, 67-72; contrasted with work, 
108. 

Playmates, influence of, 56. 

Political party, 260-269; nature of, 
260; development of, 260-261; 
organization of, 261-262; methods 
of, 262-263; abuse of power by, 
263-264; and the law, 264-265; 
three services of, 265-267; ques¬ 
tion of supporting, 267; and the 
individual, 267-268. 

Politics, and the job, 153-154. 

Power, meaning of, 121-122. 

Promptness, 195-196. 

Property rights, 16-17. 

Public officials, choice of, 305-311; 
candidates, 305-306; caucus, 306; 
nominating convention, 306-308; 
Direct Primary, 308-309; election 
day,. 309-310. 

Publicity work, as an occupation, 166. 

Quarantine, 40-41. 

Record keeping as an occupation, 164. 

Reputation, 204-205. 

Rights and duties, 212-219. 

Safety first, 31. 

Salesmanship, as an occupation, 166. 

School, as a source of training, 75-84; 
advantages of, 79-83; special 
training, 186-188; occupational 
courses, 188-189. 

Scientific work, as an occupation, 167. 

Self control, 194-195. 

Self knowledge, importance of, 173- 
174 - 

Service, and money, 177-178. 

Services, and goods, 143-144. 

State government, 281-290; and the 
federal constitution, 281; state 
constitution, 281-282; Governor, 
282; his assistants, 282-284; ad¬ 


ministrative reform, 284-285; 
state legislature, 285; making a 
law, 285-286; legislative faults, 
286-287 5 state courts, 287-289. 

Study, and promotion, 205-206. 

Success, short cuts to, 185-186. 

Taxation, nature of, 231-232; in¬ 
comes and inheritances, 232; im¬ 
ports, 233-234; other federal 
taxes, 234; state and local taxes, 
234; general property tax, 235- 
238 (see Government). 

Teaching, as an occupation, 168-169. 

Teamwork, and play, 72 ; and work, 
209. 

Thrift, 207-208. 

Transportation, and exchange, 145- 
146; and the job, 162-163. 

United States, relations with other 
countries (see War). 

Village government, 274-275. 

Vote, the right to exercise the, 301- 
302; significance of, 302; diffi¬ 
culties of using wisely, 302-304; 
failure to use, 303-304; shortening 
the ballot, 304-305; election day, 
309-310. 

War, struggle to prevent, 240-250; 
our foreign policy, 240-242 ; evils 
of war, 242-243; Hague Confer¬ 
ences, 244-245; League of Na¬ 
tions, 245-248. 

Washington, D. C., 89-90. 

Waste, disposal of, 40. 

Water, as a problem, 38-39. 

Willingness, 198. 

Work, reasons for, 108-117; con¬ 
trasted with play, 108; two kinds 
of work, 108-110 (see Labor). 

Workingmen’s compensation, 27 (see 
Accidents). 





























































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